Another Story
by bright eyed writer
Summary: Neal changed his mind and chose to go back for Emma when she is released from prison. He manages to gain her forgiveness and trust, but feels that she is holding something back. He never imagined that she was hiding a secret as big as a child from him, until their ten year old son turns up on their doorstep on Emma's birthday. ON HOLD - PLEASE READ BIO/PROFILE.
1. Chapter 1

As Emma entered the restaurant, she walked confidently, despite the wary and nervous expression she wore on her face as she looked around for her date. That expression was replaced by a relieved smile when she found the blonde haired, handsome man, sitting at a table near the balchony. He caught sight of her as she walked towards the table, looking just as relieved as she did.

"Emma." He breathed, standing up and holding out his hand.

"Ryan?" she smiled back, shaking his hand before they sat down. "You look relieved."

"Well, it is the internet. Pictures can be - "

"Fake. Outdated. Stolen from a Victoria's Secret catalogue." Emma laughed awkwardly. "So..."

"So... Um... Tell me something about yourself, Emma."

"Oh." Emma murmured, gently touching her locket absently. "Ah, well, today's my birthday." She decided on.

Ryan smiled in surprise. "And you're spending it with me? What about your friends?"

"Kind of a loner." She shrugged.

"And, you don't like your family."

Emma hesitated. "No family to like."

"Oh, come on. Everyone has family."

"Technically, yeah. And everyone knows who they are?" Emma said awkwardly, embarassed that she was spouting out this rubbish. Her birthdays were always a sore point - they had been a cause of great heartache for many years and she always ended up thinking about the past - although she enjoyed them a lot more now then she did back when she was in the system. "Ready to run yet?"

"Oh, not a chance. You, Emma, are by far, the sexiest, friendless orphan I have ever met." Ryan said, giving her a charming, almost seductive smile as he leaned across the table towards her.

Emma pursed her lips, struggling to keep up with the act. This guy was seriously unbelieveable. "Okay. Your turn. No wait, let me guess." She eyed him, pursing her lips as he waited, cocky as ever. "Um... You are handsome, charming..."

Ryan's smirk was growing by every passing second. "Go on." He urged.

"The kind of guy who - and now, stop me if I get this wrong - embezzled from your employer, got arrested, and skipped town before they were able to throw your ass in jail." She said casually. Ryan froze.

"What?"

"And the worst part of all this is your wife." Emma continued, watching as the realisation of what was actually going on began to hit Ryan and he shifted in his seat, clearly beginning to panic. Emma was glad she didn't pull her chair right in to the table; many of her cases tried to run as soon as they found out who she was. "Your wife loves you so much that she bailed you out, and how do you repay that loyalty? You're on a date."

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"The chick who put up the rest of the money."

"You're a bail bondsman."

"Bail bondsperson." Emma corrected automatically, having had to correct people multiple times. She jumped when the guy suddenly stood up, flipping the table over and running. "Really?" she sighed, standing up. She looked down and grimaced at her dress, wondering whether or not she would be able to get the red wine stains out or if she would need to invest in a new dress. Again.

She calmly grabbed her bag and followed Ryan out of the restaurant at a steady pace, knowing that he wasn't going anywhere soon. She smirked in amusement as she watched his frantic attempt to escape. He had barely even noticing the boot on his back tyre as he jumped in his car and tried to drive off.

"You don't have to do this, okay?" he said pleadingly when she caught up. "I can pay you. I got money."

Emma scoffed. "No, you don't. And, if you did, you should give it to your wife to take care of your family." She said, fully aware that he had left his wife with three children, all under the age of ten, to support on her own. Ryan glared at her.

"What the hell do you know about family, huh?" he snapped maliciously, in one last attempt to get the better of her. She just smirked back before grabbing the man by the back of his head and slamming it into the steering wheel.

"A lot more than you, apparently."

...

By the time she got home, she was exhausted and it was a relief to take off her six inch heels. While they made her legs look gorgeous, and completed the 'date' look, they were hell after wearing them for several hours. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wedding ring, silently slipping it on with ease. She always felt wrong without it, but she had made the mistake of wearing it during one of her first cases and her guy had got away.

Her apartment was dark and silent, so she went out of her way to make sure she was silent as she walked down the hall towards the kitchen. She frowned when she saw that it was pitch black - usually the light was kept on incase anyone - namely Teddy - needed a drink during the night. She flicked on the light and startled when she was met with a yell of, "SURPRISE!"

She stared at Neal, who was balancing their five year old son on his hip - both wearing cheshire sized grins - with a cake in front of them, along with a small pile of presents off to the side of the kitchen island.

She smiled. "What's all this?" she asked, letting her bag fall to the floor as she walked further into the room.

"Come on, did you really think that we were going to ignore your birthday?" Neal asked, moving around the island to give her a kiss, never once letting go of little Teddy, who looked quite happy being carried around. And, to be honest, she had thought that her birthday was going to be ignored. There had been no mention of her birthday all day; she had thought, or rather hoped, that Neal had forgotten. Stupid thing to hope, Neal never forgot. "How was the date?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

"Lovely." Emma replied dryly, with a pointed look to the stain on her dress. "Can't you tell?"

Neal let out a breath, shaking his head as he looked at the stain. "Tell me he atleast paid?"

"He's a felon. Of course he didn't." She laughed as he have her a mock-offended look.

" _I_ always pay when we go out for dinner."

"I pay my fair share." Emma protested as Neal grabbed her by the waste and pulled her closer to his free side.

"Oh yeah? When?" he asked, leaning down slightly to place his lips over hers.

They were interrupted by a disgusted cry. "Ew! Daddy, the cake!" Teddy cried, wriggling slightly as if to get away from his 'gross' parents. The couple chuckled in amusement, but parted from each other anyway.

Teddy was five years old, and was going through the stage where he thought that any affection shown between his parents were gross, girls had cooties (except for mommy), and Batman was the solution to every problem. That morning Neal had spilled his coffee over the table, all over his college assignments, and while he and Emma had been rushing around trying to save everything, Teddy had grabbed the phone and tried to call Batman.

Emma looked at the table. It wasn't anything massive, given the fact that it had only been done by her husband and son - Clara, her ten month old daughter, obviously wouldn't be able to help - but it was more than she could ever have imagined growing up. "Wow!" Emma said, a little too overdramatic, but it made Teddy's eyes light up everytime. "Did you do all of this for me?!"

"Yep!" Teddy said, grinning proudly. "Daddy helped a little." He added charitably.

"Yeah, Teddy did most of it." Neal lied convincingly, watching silently as Emma place a single, star shared candle on top of the cake and lit it. Once it was lit, he turned to Teddy, "Ready?" he asked. Teddy nodded excitedly, his expression serious.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," they sang together slowly.

As they sang, Emma leaned against the kitchen island, watching the two of them over the top of the cake with a light feeling in her chest. The last ten years with Neal had been the best; a little rocky at first, he had to do a lot of grovelling before she finally forgave him for letting her take the blame and go to prison for eleven months, something she knew he still felt guilty for. But she didn't hold it against him, he was only human and an idiot back then (a little more than he was now). They had spent many good times together, which had only gotten better after the birth of Teddy and, more recently, their baby girl. Emma finally had the family she had always wanted, though she knew someone was missing.

Her smile faltered slightly as Neal and Teddy's song came to an end. She looked down at the candle and closed her eyes, before blowing it out after making her wish. Neal and Teddy cheered.

Emma smiled widely at them as she opened her eyes, only to frown when the doorbell rang. "I'll get that." She told Neal, who placed Teddy back on his feet. "You, cut the cake. And be generous."

"I'm always generous." Neal protested.

She laughed. "Yeah, I meant to me." She said before walking back down the hall to open the door.

"Um... Can I help you?" she asked, frowning down at the young boy standing in front of her, hardly noticing Neal come up behind her. The boy looked to be around ten or eleven, a large backpack on his back and an excited gleam in his eyes. He seemed to be practically bouncing with excitement, yet appeared to be more mature than his age. He was eyeing her, apparently taking in her appearance just as she was taking in his. He seemed familiar, Emma just couldn't place it.

"Are you Emma Swan?" the kid asked.

"Yeah. Who are you?" she asked. His reply made her freeze.

"My name's Henry." He said, grinning. "I'm your son."

"What?" Neal blurted out, staring between the two of them. Emma continued to stare at the boy, unable to believe what she was hearing. Henry, unconcerned by his biological mother's reaction, nor Neal's, edged his way into their apartment.

"Whoa!" Neal protested, walking after him. Emma took a moment to follow, closing the door silently behind her. "Hey, kid! Kid! How old are you? Where are your parents?"

The boy just glanced back at Emma. "Ten years ago, did you give a baby up for adoption? That was me."

Neal froze, looking between the two of them. Teddy remained completely oblivious to everything as he licked icing off his fingers, wondering whether he was going to get into trouble for eating with his hands, while being propped up the kitchen side in his spiderman pyjamas.

"Ten?" Neal murmured, his accusing eyes turning to his wife who had apparently kept this from him for all of these years.

"Give me a minute." Emma whispered, turning on her heels and walking briskly to the bathroom.

"No, wait." Neal quickly followed her, closing the door behind them. He turned to her, ignoring the fact that she was extremely pale, and seemed to be staring off into the distance. "Emma, is that my son? Emma. Emma!"

"Yes." Emma snapped, finally looking at him, tears in her eyes.

"How?!" Emma eyed him. "Okay, I know 'how'! But... I don't..."

"I had him while I was in prison."

"And you gave him up for adoption?"

"Yeah."

"You never told me."

Emma shrugged. "We weren't together."

"You never told me! It's been ten years. You never thought that there may have been a good time to let me know that I have a son out there?! I still had a right to know, even if we weren't together!"

"You were there!" Emma screamed. "You have no right! You let me take the blame, you let me go to prison! I knew that I couldn't do that, I couldn't raise him by myself so I gave him up!"

"Erm... Hey," the kid called from the other side of the door, "do you have any juice?... Never mind, found some."

"This is not over." Neal said before opening the door and walking out.

Emma followed, glaring at his back. "You're damn right, it isn't."

Neal stopped suddenly when he came to the kitchen, and all he could do was stare at the boy in front of him. Now that he looked at him, it was so clear that the boy was theirs. The boy looked like a miniture version of him; he had his eyes, his hair, and his smile. Although a lot of his features Neal could point out and say they were Emma's aswell; he looked like an older version of Teddy. As he watched him, a smile stretched across his face. Henry was pouring Teddy a small sippy cup full of orange juice, slipping into the elderly sibling with ease.

"So, I guess I'm your son too, then?" Henry asked, looking up at him with a smile, though with some aprehension, a bit change from his reaction to meeting Henry.

Neal grinned back easily, hoping to put him at ease. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"You know, we should probably get going."

Emma frowned. "Going where?"

"I want you to come home with me." Henry said simply, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Neal and Emma stared at him for a moment.

"Okay, kid. I'm calling the cops."

"Then I'll tell them you kidnapped me." Henry shot back.

"And they'll believe him because we're his birth parents." Neal pointed out.

Henry nodded. "Yep." He said, popping the 'p'.

"You're not going to do that." Emma said, narrowing her eyes at the boy.

"Try me."

Neal looked between the two of them, amused, but he knew who would end up winning the battle of wills in the end. His eyes turned to Emma, who's face now held a smirk as she observed the ten year old, and he knew that she had caught him out. It was the same look she had when Teddy had done something wrong, or when he had had a little too much to drink and he promised that he had only had water...

"You're pretty good. But here's the thing... there's not a lot I'm great at in life." Emma said, causing Neal to roll his eyes. "I have one skill, let's call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are." She picked up the phone and began dialing the cops.

"Wait..." Henry groaned, making Emma smirk wider and Neal sigh. "Please don't call the cops. Please, come home with me."

"It shouldn't do any harm." Neal said. Emma looked between them, both with pleading looks on their faces, and relented.

"Fine."

"Road trip it is. I'll get Clara." Neal said, heading for the hall.

"What?" Emma frowned.

"I'm not staying here." Neal replied, without stopping. "And there's no way Mrs Mitchell will be willing to look after the kids at this time of night. Teddy, get your shoes on!"

"Okay, Daddy." Teddy, glancing up from his cake, licked his fingers as he climbed off the kitchen seat and ran into his bedroom.

Emma sighed, turning to Henry. "Where's home?" she asked.

"Storybrooke, Maine." Henry answered. Emma's eyebrow shot up.

"Storybrooke? Seriously?"

"Mmhmm."

"Alrighty, then. Let's get you back to Storybrooke."

...

"I'm hungry." Henry complained, three hours into their trip. "Can we stop somewhere?"

The road trip, as Neal and Henry liked to call it, had so far been good. Emma had spent most of it quiet, while Henry entertained Teddy in the back and even managed to calm Clara down when she got fussy. Neal, on the other hand, was just content in watching his newly found son interact with his other children, hoping that they would have the opportunity to do this more often, and hopefully in the near future rather than after the kid turned eight-teen.

Emma sighed heavily. "This is not a road trip. We're not stopping for snacks."

"Why not?" Neal and Henry asked together, sharing a grin.

"Quit complaining." Emma said lightly, but sent a glare at Neal, whe stared blankly back. "Remember - we could have put your butt on a bus. I still could."

Henry rolled his eyes. "You know I have a name? It's Henry." He looked down at the book in his hand, one which he had been showing Teddy before the younger boy had finally dropped off to sleep just over ten minutes ago.

"Henry." Neal repeated quietly, running the name through his head over and over. He had never considered naming one of his children Henry, the name had never had a significant meaning beforehand and, while the name wasn't terrible, he would've had other choices if he had been the one to name him ten years ago. It did, however, suit the boy who seemed to be an old soul. "Good name." He mused.

Emma silently agreed, peering into rearview mirror at the ten year old. "What's that?" she asked, to make conversation.

"I'm not sure you're ready." He replied, making both Emma and Neal more curious. Neal leaned back, recognising the title of Snow White at the top of one page.

"Fairy tales." He mused, eyeing the boy suspiciously. He couldn't possibly know...

"I'm not ready for some fairy tales?" Emma questioned, confused.

Henry sighed heavily. "They're not fairy tales. They're true. Every story in this book actually happened." He said firmly, looking up to meet Neal's gaze. It was almost like Henry was daring Neal to call him a liar, to call him crazy and act as if he was a silly little boy believing in stories. But Neal couldn't, because he knew the truth. He supposed it helped that he had been born and raised until the age of fourteen in the Enchanted Forest.

"Of course they did." Emma said.

"Who told you that?" Neal asked.

"Nobody." He said to Neal. He turned to Emma. "Use your superpower. See if I'm lying."

Emma hesitated for a moment, before meeting Henry's gaze in the mirror. "Just because you believe something, doesn't make it true."

"That's exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone."

"And why's that?" Neal asked, though he knew the answer already. Emma was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming; but only two people were supposed to know that, especially with the rest of the resident of the Enchanted Forest trapped in a small town with no memory of their former life. How could Henry?

"Because," Henry stated, seemingly aware of his biological father's interest in his book, and quite pleased with it as well. "Emma's in this book."

Emma frowned. "Oh, kid. You've got problems." Neal frowned at her, not quite sure comments like that would help even if the boy _was_ making all of it up.

"Yep." Henry just replied happily, as if he was used to those sort of comments. Neal wondered how many times he had heard them. "And you're going to fix them."

"Where exactly are we going?" Neal asked.

"Storybrooke, Maine." Henry answered, turning back to his book.

Neal, having already expected the answer, slumped back against his seat. "Storybrooke." He sighed, closing his eyes. It was happening, just like August had said it would. He had just hoped that it wouldn't, that August had made the entire thing up to split him and Emma up for good. He had considered that frequently over the years as he and Emma built a life together - it had all seemed too good to be true, but none of it showed any signs of leading them towards Storybrooke and closer to breaking the curse. Until now.

"We'll just drop him off and then we can talk." Emma told him quietly, looking at him almost nervously. "Properly, this time."

"Yeah," Neal sighed. "Something tells me that it won't be that easy." He said, sending the car back into silence for the rest of the journey.

...

"Okay, kid. How about an address?" Emma asked, as she drove through the streets of Storybrooke. She glanced at Neal, noticing that he had gone completely silent, and almost nervous, since the moment that they had passed the sign saying 'Welcome to Storybrooke'. She wondered how he was going to take leaving Henry behind when they got him back home to his parents - something told her that nothing was going to be the same ever again after this, she just hoped that, like everything else in their lives, they would be able to get through it and only grow stronger.

"Forty-four Not Telling You Street." Henry replied.

Neal smirked as Emma stopped the car and got out, closing the door quietly rather than slamming it shut like she wanted to. Clara and Teddy were both asleep in the back next to Henry, and she knew that, if she woke them, it would take them hours to get them back down again. Teddy thought of this little trip as an adventure, or a holiday, and would be more than a little excited when he woke up. Both Henry and Neal got out just as quietly.

"Look," Emma said, since she was getting no help from Neal, who simply leaned against the bug with his arms crossed. "It's been a long night, and it's almost..." she looked at the town clock and frowned, "8.15?"

"That clock hasn't moved my whole life. Time's froze here." Henry explained.

"Excuse me?" Emma asked, looking at Neal to see whether or not he was planning to support her at all during this. He was watching the two of them silently, but with a look of what she thought was dread in his eyes. Every now and then he glanced over his shoulder, as if expecting someone to pop out from around the corner.

"The Evil Queen did it with her curse. She sent everyone from the Enchanted Forest here." Henry continued.

"Okay, the Evil Queen sent a bunch of fairy tale characters here." Emma said slowly. Henry nodded.

"Yeah, and now they're trapped."

"Frozen in time, stuck in Storybrooke, Maine. That's what you're going with?" Emma asked incredulously. "Neal _and Teddy_ have come up with better than that!"

"I _was_ almost recruited by the CIA." Neal nodded seriously, remembering one of their argument when they had first gotten back together, not long after they had moved to Tallahassee, when he had been struggling to get a job.

"It's true!" Henry looked between them pleadingly, relaxing slightly when he recieved a small wink from Neal.

"Then why doesn't everybody just leave?" Emma asked, trying to catch him out.

"They can't. If they try, bad things happen."

"Henry!" The three of them looking around to see a ginger haired man with glasses, walking a dalmation, heading towards them looking rather worried. Neal moved from leaning against the car to stand next to Emma, putting his hands in his pockets. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

Henry smiled warmly at the man. "I'm fine, Archie."

Archie looked at Emma and Neal. "Who's this?"

"Just someone trying to give him a ride home." Emma replied quickly.

"His birth parents." Neal told him firmly. Archie's eyes widened.

"Oh... I see."

"Do you know where he lives?" Neal asked.

"Yeah, sure. Just right up on Mifflin street. The Mayor's house is the biggest on the block."

Neal and Emma froze, though for completely different reasons. Neal knew that Henry was right; this town was full of fairy tale characters. But it didn't take a rocket scientist to work out who would take over the role of the most powerful person in the town.

"You're the Mayor's kid?" Emma asked Henry. _You're the Evil Queen's kid?!_ Neal wanted to ask.

"Um, maybe." Henry replied nervously, looking at his feet.

Archie looked at Henry with a concerned frown. "Hey, where were you today, Henry? Because you missed your session."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went on a field trip."

"Henry." Archie began, kneeling down so that he was more at the ten year old's level. "What did I tell you about lying? Giving into one's dark side neer accomplishes anything."

Neal stared at the man incredulously; in his opinion, he didn't think that giving small white lies as every child did - God knows he had when he was a child - would deserve to be described as giving into someone's dark side.

"Oookay." Emma smiled awkwardly. "Well, we really should be getting him home."

Archie smiled back. "Yeah, sure. Well, listen, have a good night and, uh, you be good, Henry." He said before walking off.

"So, that's your shrink." Emma stated, rather than asked.

"I'm not crazy." Henry said firmly.

"Nobody's saying that." Neal assured him, giving Emma a warning look. He knew what she was like when she got an idea in her head; now that she knew that Henry was in counselling, she would assume that everything he was saying was starting to make sense. Although, not in the way Henry wanted it.

"It's just..." Emma trailed off, seeing Neal's look and trying to find the words that didn't upset the boy. "He doesn't seem 'cursed' to me. Maybe he's just trying to help you."

"He's the one who needs help because he doesn't know."

"That he's a fairy tale character."

"None of them do. They don't remember who they are." Henry told them.

"None of them?" Neal asked, relaxing slightly. "None of them remember, at all?"

"I think my mom does," Henry admitted. "But all of the others don't."

Neal nodded. "Good to know." He muttered.

"That's convenient. Alright, I'll play." Emma said, getting back in the car. "Who's he supposed to be?"

"Duh. Jiminy Cricket." Neal answered instead.

"How did you know?" Henry asked, looking at him in surprise. Neal shrugged.

"Who else is going to be the town shrink?"

"Thought your nose grew a little bit." Emma smirked at Henry.

"I'm not Pinocchio!" No, he's an idiot, Neal thought to himself as he buckled himself in.

"Course you're not. Because that would be ridiculous."

They drove in silence upto the big white house and Neal felt really intimidated. Of course his son would be given to someone who lived in a mansion while he and Emma were in a small flat, which they could barely afford with both of their wages and that's with Teddy's day care.

"Please don't take me back there." Henry pleaded when they came to a stop in front of the house.

"I have to." Emma sighed. Neal glanced at her, wishing that they didn't have to. Regardless of whether or not his mother was the Evil Queen, she had still adopted him and there was nothing any of them could do about it. "I'm sure your parents are worried sick about you."

"I don't have parents. Just a mom and she's evil."

"Evil? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

"She is. She doesn't love me. She only pretends to."

"I'm sure that's not true." Neal sighed. She must have wanted him at least; must have loved him enough if she was to risk bringing someone into the town she cursed. She must've known that, sooner or later, he would realise that he was the only one that was aging.

"Henry!" A black haired woman, in a grey dress hesitated at the front door, narrowing her eyes at the bug. Henry groaned, before grudgingly getting out of the car. Emma followed, while Neal, after glancing back at the sleeping children in the back, stood by his open door watching as the 'evil queen' ran down the drive and embraced the ten year old in relief. "Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?"

Henry pulled away from her harshly. "I found my real mom!" He snapped before shoving past her and running into the house, passing what seemed to be the town's sherrif on his way.

The mayor, who had frozen when Henry had pulled away from her, turned slowly to face Emma. Neal resisted the urge to run over to her but knew that Emma was in no great danger, there was nothing that the Mayor could do to her, there was no magic here. He felt that he couldn't get involved, despite Henry being his son. Emma had started this on her own when she gave him up ten years ago, he felt like he was intruding on these moments too much and they were something she needed to go through by herself. That didn't stop him from wanting nothing more than be by her side and standing up to the woman who had adopted Henry, and would, therefore, be extremely threatened by their presence.

"Y-you're Henry's birth mother?" the woman gasped, tears drying on her cheeks.

"Hi..." Emma said awkwardly, looking at the woman with sympathy.

"I'll just go... check on the lad." The sherrif said with an Irish accent, looking between them nervously, before backing back to the door. Neal couldn't blame him. "Make sure he's alright."

"How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you've ever tasted?" the woman asked, her face suddenly expressionless.

"Got anything stronger?" Emma asked, earning her a small, obviously fake smile from the Mayor. "Can you just give me a moment?"

"Of course. I'm Regina, by the way."

"Emma Cassidy." Emma introduced, walking back to the car. "This is my husband, Neal." Neal nodded at Regina before turning to Emma when she appeared in front of him, on the other side of the car. "Come in with me. Please, don't let me do this by myself."

Neal looked at her; his anger and resentment still bubbling under the surface. The childish part of him wanted to tell her that he thought it was funny that she thought they needed to do this together _now_ , ten years after they should've done. But he knew that wouldn't be fair - he was an idiot back then, letting his fear of his father overpower his love for Emma. He had almost lost her. And, as he had now found out, he _had_ lost his son. As he looked into Emma's big, green eyes he couldn't bring himself to be angry at her for any longer.

"We'll do this together." He promised after a moment.

"Thank you." Emma breathed a sigh of relief. That breath of relief made Neal's heart clench; did she really think that he would've never forgave her?

Neal closed the passenger side door before the two of them moved to the back, each other them picking up a sleeping child before making their way back to a waiting Regina. Regina looked at Teddy and Clara curiously before turning and leading them into the house.

"This house is really nice." Emma whispered as they waited for Regina to return with the glasses she had went into the kitchen for. Neal knew that she was feeling as intimidated as he was.

Neal shook his head, trying to make her feel more at ease. "Feels a bit too cold for me."

"Must've cost a fortune."

"Everything's a bit showy though, isn't it? Nothing personal. No pictures of Henry growing up, no drawings on the walls."

"It's better than our flat."

"That's a matter of opinion."

"Stop that." Emma scolded, slapping him on his arm.

"What?"

"Stop trying to make me feel better."

Neal opened his mouth to protest that there was no reason for her to feel bad but closed it again when Regina returned with three glasses. She barely looked at them as she walked over to the table and began to pour them drinks.

"How did he find me?" Emma asked.

"No idea." Regina muttered. "When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn't want to have any contact."

"You were told right."

"And the father?"

"That would be me." Neal said, making Regina freeze.

"You stayed together after all this time. How lovely." She said with a tight smile, obviously thinking it was anything other than lovely, handing him a glass of cider. "Do I need to worry about you?"

"I guess not." He said, though he knew that there was no way he was leaving his son's life now that he knew he existed. He knew what is was like growing up without his parents, he knew what it was like to be let down by a father - there was no way he was going to let his son go through that.

"And do I need to be worried about you, Mrs Cassidy?"

"Absolutely not." Emma said firmly, glancing around the house again. Regina nodded.

"Madam Mayor." The sheriff said as he walked down the stairs with an easy smile. "You can relax. Other than being a tired little boy, Henry's fine."

"Thank you, Sheriff." Regina said as he left, and Regina lead them into the other room. "I'm sorry he dragged you both out of your lives. I really don't know what's gotten into him."

"The kid's having a rough time." Emma said as she sat down, adjusting Clara into a more comfortable position while Neal did the same with Teddy. "It happens."

"You have to understand. Ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have jobs, I assume?"

"Yes." Neal said, a little shortly. The way Regina spoke made it sound like she was sceptical about whether they actually did - Emma was already feeling bad about the large comparison between the two of them, she didn't need to feel even worse.

"Imagine being on your own, and having another one on top of it." Regina said, sitting down opposite them. "That's being a single mom. So, I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don't think that makes me evil, do you?"

"Depends on who's eyes you're looking at it from." Neal said, making both women turn towards him with frowns. He shrugged. "He's a kid, coming up to becoming a teenager. Everything is exagerated; it puts a strain on relationships."

"I'm sure he's just saying that because of the fairy tale thing." Emma reassured the mayor, turning away from Neal. Regina's eyes narrowed.

"What fairy tale thing?" she asked, an edge to her voice which Emma was oblivious to.

"His book, full of fairy tales." Neal said, though he wondered whether or not they should draw attention to the fact that Henry was aware of the curse.

"How he thinks everyone's a cartoon character from it." Emma added. "Like his shrink is Jiminy Cricket."

Regina's eyes hardened, and she hesitated. "I'm sorry. I really have no idea what you're talking about." She said brightly.

Emma nodded hurridly. "You know what? It's none of our business. He's your kid. And we really should be heading back."

"Of course." Regina said, relaxing by an incredible amount now that she knew that their family was getting out of her hair. Emma and Neal shared a glance as they walked back through the house, clearly both of them were getting the same feeling about the woman who seemed to turn her nose up at them.

"I think it's lovely," their son's adopted mother said suddenly, just before they reached the door. The two of them stopped, turning to look at the woman - who was standing behind them with her arms crossed - properly.

"What's lovely?" Neal asked.

"The fact that the two of you stayed together all of these years. You have two beautiful children, and have clearly turned your lives around." She said, though, from her expression, Neal couldn't help but think that she didn't think it was 'lovely' at all. She was feeling threatened. She had assumed that Henry's biological parents were never going to be in the picture; and, if there was ever a situation where they were, she had assumed that it would only be Emma, someone she could easily overpower. Not a couple, not a family that Henry could be welcomed into. "It seems that you're family is complete."

Neal clenched his teeth, but smiled politely. "Goodnight, Madam Mayor." He said, reaching out to grab Emma's hand before he said something which he would later regret.

The moment that they were out of the door, it slammed shut behind them. Emma looked back at it, completely dumbfounded.

"Well," she said, letting out a breath. "That was pleasant."

"Yeah, it sure was." Neal muttered, walking back to the bug.

"She seems to be a bit of a hardass." Emma continued, as they put the - miraculously still sleeping - children into the back.

"Poor kid." Neal said in reply, glancing up at the house only to freeze when he saw Henry in the window. Emma, following his gaze, turned back and stared at the window aswell. Henry backed away from the window and out of sight, making Neal's heart clench painfully.

"I don't care what you say, Emma." He said, getting into the bug. "I can't leave him behind."

Emma sighed. "Neal - "

"No, Emma. I understand why you gave him away. I really do, and I'm not mad." And, truthfully, he wasn't. He didn't want to argue with her anymore; it was too hard, especially since he knew that it was only a matter of time before she found out the truth. August had told him that Emma would break the curse when she was twenty-eight - he had less than a year before she broke the curse and found out about her background. Less than a year before she found out that he knew all of this time. He wondered how many arguments they would have then. "It's just... now that I know that he exists, I can't just leave him behind and forget about him."

"Is that what you think I did?" Emma asked with a frown, glancing at him from the corner of her eye as she drove towards the exit. "Do you think that I have never thought about him in all these years?"

Neal closed his eyes, sensing that, despite his best intentions, Emma was going to take offence to anything he said because of her own emotions on the current situation. "I didn't say that." He said calmly.

"Because I have!" Emma cried in a low whispered, glancing back at Teddy and Clara.

"I know."

"No, you don't. You've known about him for five hours, I've known about him for ten years. I've had to deal with the pain of giving him away, regretting it when it was too late to do anything about it. Why did you wait for me to leave prison?!" She demanded.

"I wanted to give you space - "

"If you had gone to visit me, maybe none of this would have never happened! Maybe, we would have kept him. It's not all my fault!"

"Emma." Neal tried gently, watching her carefully as tears began to fall down her face.

"I gave him away for nothing." Emma continued.

"Emma - "

"We could've been a family. We could have surprised ourselves, like we did with Teddy."

"Emma!" Neal yelled when he turned his eyes back to the road and saw a white wolf standing in the middle of it. Emma let out a shocked gasp when she saw it and swerved out of the way, sending them straight into the town sign. Neal's head swung sideways, hitting the window hard, and everything went dark.

...

Emma blinked hard as she slowly came to, looking around confused before her eyes handed on a scruffy looking man.

"What are you lookin' at, sister?" he snapped.

"Hey, Leroy! Manners." A grey haired man, with an Italian accent, scolded from outside the cells. "We have a guest. So, you are Henry's mother? How lovely for him to have you back in his life."

"Actually, I was just dropping him off." Emma said quickly, sitting up on the old cot. Leroy smirked.

"Tch, don't blame ya. They're all brats, who needs 'em."

"Well, I'd give anything for one." The Italian man shot back. He looked at Emma sadly. "My wife and I, we tried for many years. But it was not meant to be."

"I'm sorry." Emma said sympathetically.

"Well cry me a river." Leroy said dryly.

The sheriff which Emma remembered from last night walked in and Emma shot up off the cot. "Leroy!" He said, frowning at the man as the Italian looked down. "If I'm going to let you out, you need to behave. Put on a smile and stay out of trouble." He said, unlocking Leroy's cell.

Leroy gave him a sarcastic smile before leaving. The sheriff turned to Emma with a smile.

"Where are my family?" she asked instantly. "Are they okay?"

"They're fine. Your husband needed to go to the hospital to get a few stitches, your son seems to think that it was an adventure." He told her, making her smile. His next words, however, completely changed her mood "Regina's drinks are a little bit stronger than we thought."

"I wasn't drunk." She protested. He gave her a look which clearly said, 'of course you weren't'. "I wasn't! There was a wolf standing in the middle of the road."

"A wolf. Right."

"Graham! Henry's run away again. We have to..." Regina cried out desperately as she rushed into the room, freezing when she Emma. "What is she doing here? Do you know where he is?"

"Honey, I haven't seen him since I dropped him at your house. And, I have a pretty good alibi."

"Yeah, well, he wasn't in his room this morning."

Emma thought for a moment. "Did you try his friends?" she asked. Regina rolled her eyes.

"He doesn't really have any. He's kind of a loner."

"Every kid has friends." Emma mused. Teddy made friend's with everyone he met, including their regular pizza guy. "Did you check his computer? If he's close to someone, he'd be emailing them."

Regina narrowed her eyes at her while Sheriff Graham looked impressed. "And you know this how?" the mayor asked.

"Finding people is what I do. Here's an idea. How about you gues let me out an I'll help you find him."

...

 _Emma: Henry ran away, please tell me you had nothing to do with it._

Neal rolled his eyes when he saw his wife's text. Her faith in him was so reassuring.

 _Neal: Yes, I kidnapped him and we're on our way back to Boston. Do you think he'll mind bunking with Teddy?_

Neal smirked, putting his phone away before continuing to make his way down the street. "Teddy," he said, pulling the little boy away from the ice cream shop, where his nose had been practically stuck to the window. "We're not having ice cream today."

"But why not?" he whined, dragging his feet and looking back over his shoulder at the extremely tempting shop.

"Because, we can come back tomorrow." Neal decided; the idea that Emma wouldn't decide to stay after today not even a posibility.

His phone buzzed, making him smirk even more.

 _Emma: Very funny. Keep an eye out x_

Neal turned to Teddy. "Come on, buddy. Let's go and find Henry." He said, turning away from the direction they had originally been going in order to pick up Emma from the sheriff's station. "Do you remember Henry?"

"My big brother." Teddy said happily.

"Er... yeah, mate. Best not say that in front of mommy when we see her, okay?"

...

They walked through half the town looking for Henry, but it wasn't until they got near the docks when Teddy caught sight of him sitting on a wooden castle playground.

"Hey," Neal said, sitting down next to the boy with Clara in his lap. Teddy, despite seemingly overjoyed to see his recently found big brother, chose to run away from them to the slide on the side of the castle. "Heard you ran away again."

"I was waiting for you to come back." Henry just said, looking at his father curiously. "So, what's your story, then?"

Neal shook his head with a smile. "Nothing special about me, I'm ordinary."

"No you're not." Henry said almost instantly, adding when Neal looked at him confused, "You haven't questioned me, not once. You haven't challenged what I said about the curse. You believe me. There must be a reason."

Neal hesitated for a moment. Could he tell Henry the truth? He had kept his secrets for so long, from everyone he loves, he didn't know if he could explain everything again. Not even to the boy who was looking at him with so much trust - the one person, other than August, who he could talk to about it all and not be called crazy or risk losing everything he had built. "I know that Emma is the saviour, and I know about the curse. But I can't say how."

"Would it be dangerous? Knowing, I mean?" Henry asked. Neal thought about his father and instantly knew the truth; he knew that it very well could be, so he nodded.

"Well," Henry sighed, looking back out to the town clock. "It's nice to meet you, and I'm glad you're here."

"I'm just sorry it took so long." Neal said sadly, but Henry smiled.

"It's okay. You didn't know."

"Hey," Emma said brightly as she walked over to them, looking between them warily. Neal gave her a small wink, trying to put her at ease. She sat down on the other side of Henry, glancing over at Teddy who was fully content in going down the slide before running around the castle to do it again, repeatedly. Neal smiled, his son could go on for hours like that.

"Still hasn't moved, huh?" she asked, nodding towards the clock tower.

Henry spoke sadly. "I was hoping that when I brought you back, things would change here. That the final battle would begin."

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid." Emma sighed.

"Yes, you are. Because it's your destiny. You're going to bring back the happy endings."

"Can you cut it with the book crap."

"Emma." Neal muttered, shaking his head. Henry, on the other hand, was unoffended.

"You don't have to be hostile. I know you like me - I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty." He said, making Emma turn away, swallowing hard. Neal smiled, knowing that his kid had hit it on the head. "It's okay. I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance."

"How do you know that?"

"Because it's the same reason Snow White gave you away."

"Listen to me, kid. I'm not in any book. I'm a real person. And I'm no saviour." Emma said. Henry and Neal shared a glance. "You were right about one thing, though. I wanted you to have your best chance. And, at the time, I didn't think it was with me."

"I know. Dad told me." Henry said, making both of the couple turn to him in surprise.

"Neal..." Emma trailed off, looking at him with wide eyes.

Neal gaped. "I didn't - I was just - "

"Come on, let's get you back to your mom." Emma said quickly when Neal couldn't come out with anything. Henry's new title for Neal, while a complete surprise, almost made him smile. It felt natural, despite only knowing the boy for less than twenty four hours.

"Please don't take me back there." Henry pleaded when Emma and Neal got off the castle. "Just stay with me for a week. That's all I ask. One week, and you'll see I'm not crazy."

"Nobody thinks you're crazy." Neal assured him, knowing for a fact that he wasn't. "Teddy, come here!"

"We have to get you back to your mom." Emma said firmly.

Henry refused to move. "You don't know what it's like with her. My life sucks!" He said. Emma let out a laugh, which was overtook with a sob. Neal, who had been standing at the bottom of the slides, looked up nervously.

"Oh, you want to know what sucking is?" Emma sobbed. "Being left abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother to drop me off at a hospital. I ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was thee, but then they had their owo so they sent me back. Neal's mother left the family for another man and his dad went off the deep end and abandoned him in the middle of nowhere. Neal was taken in by his step-father before getting dumped again, he spent years in foster care before sleeping in the back of our car." Neal bit his lip; it had been the closest thing to the truth that he could manage at the time. He hadn't wanted to keep secrets from her, so he told her little pieces of the truth, but without the details. Yet another thing he would have to own upto when the curse broke. "Look, my mom is trying her best. I know it's hard and I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she wants you."

Henry sighed, looking between his parents sadly. "Your parents didn't leave you on the side of a freeway. That's just where you came through." He protested, making Emma frown.

"What?"

"The wardrobe. When you went through the wardrobe, you appeared in the street. You parents were trying to save you from the curse."

Emma looked at Neal, pleading for him to help. Neal sighed sadly, picking Teddy up when he eventually got tired of waiting for his dad to move so that he could use the slide and had just gone for it.

"Okay, that's enough curse talk for one day." He said firmly, ignoring the look on Henry's face when he realised that Neal wasn't backing him up. "We need to get you back to your mom."

...

Neal ignored the helpless feeling he got as he watched Henry walk away, past Regina and into the big, white house.

"Thank you." Regina said once he was gone.

"No problem." Emma answered with a smile.

"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you." Regina smiled, though her hands were clenched tightly - which went unnoticed by Emma, but not to Neal who prepared to put himself between the two women if he needed to.

"You know what's kind of crazy?" Emma began. "Yesterday was my birthday and when I blew out the candle on my cake, I actally made a wish. I was looking at my family, and it felt like something was missing. I wished that, one day, he would be a part of it again. That I would spend a birthday with him as well. And then, Henry showed up."

"I hope there's no misunderstanding here." Regina said, all pretenses of politeness gone. Emma reared back, as if struck.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, confused. Neal stepped closer, glaring at the woman who's entire focus was on his wife.

"Don't mistake all this as an invitation back into his life."

"Oh..." Emma gasped, but stopped when Neal placed his hand on her shoulder. She glanced back at him as Regina continued.

"Mrs Cassidy, you and your husband made a decision ten years ago. And, in the last decade, while you two have been building yourself another family, I've changed every diaper. Soothed every fever. Endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him, but he is _my_ son."

"I wasn't - "

"No!" Regina snarled. Neal took a deep breath, practically radiating with anger. Emma, on the other hand, barely noticed as she backed into him, his presence soothing. "You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away. Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry and you're going to be held to that. So, I suggest you get in your car with your husband and your children, and you leave this town. Because, if you don't, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Goodbye, Mrs Cassidy, Mr Cassidy." And, with that, she turned back to her house.

Neal had finally had enough and gently moved Emma to the side. "Madam Mayor." He called after her, making her turn back to him, a sneer on her face. He ignored it. "You've had your turn, now it's mine. I've just found out about that boy less than a day and I can't help it that he has got into my head; I thought that dropping him off would be easy once I saw that he was happy and safe. You may have the big, expensive house, and the lavish lifestyle, Madam Mayor, so Henry is in no fear of starving to death. But you treat him like an object rather than your son. He is miserable, and you don't even seem to care. Well, I do and so does Emma, so I feel less than happy leaving him when I know that he has to suffer being brought up with you."

Regina stared at him, silently seething. He held her gaze, unflinching. "You can't take my son away from me." She hissed.

"I wouldn't dare." He simply said. "But that doesn't mean that I don't want to be a part of his life. We're staying in Storybrooke, Regina. And, let me tell you, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for my children."

...

"You're out all night, and now you're going out again!" A woman's voice echoed through the hall as they walked into Granny's Inn. Neal and Emma shared a glance as they walked further into the bed and breakfast.

"I should have moved to Boston!" A dark haired girl, with red streaks, snapped back as the two of them came into view.

The elderly woman scoffed. "I'm sorry that my heart attack interfered with your plans to sleep your way down the eastern seaboard."

"Excuse me? We'd like a room." Emma said, making their presence known. 'Granny' and the young girl stared at them in shock.

"Really?" Granny said faintly, before brightening up when it became clear that they weren't joking. "Would you like a forest view or a square view? Normally, there's an upgrade fee for the square but, as friends do, I'll wave it."

"The square would be perfect." Neal told her, knowing that the forest would just remind him of a time that he would rather regret.

"Now, what's the name?"

"Cassidy. Emma Cassidy." Emma said before Neal could.

"Emma." A voice said from behind them which made Neal freeze. No, no this couldn't be happening. He turned slowly, his heart sinking when he saw his father - no longer looking like the Dark One but the smirk on his face stopping him from looking like the father that he knew. He waited for his father to realise who he was, to look at him and instantly know, but his attention was on Emma, who stared back at him confused. "What a lovely name." He said.

Emma smiled, her brow furrowed. "Thanks." She murmured.

Granny, who didn't look any pleased to see him than Neal felt, handed over a large roll of bills. "It's all there." She said shortly, before he could dispute it.

His father barely looked at it. "Yes, yes, of course it is, dear. Thank you. You enjoy your stay... Emma." He said, turning to leave before stopping when his eyes met Neal's. Neal stopped breathing but tried to keep his expression neautral as Rumplestiltskin studied him. "Have we met before?" he asked finally.

Neal shook his head. "Don't think so."

After another moment, his father nodded and walked out. Neal let out the breath that he was holding.

"Who's that?" Emma asked, noticing her husband's reaction to the mysterious man. Granny answered instead.

"Mr Gold. He owns this place." She said.

"The inn?"

"No, the town." Neal rolled his eyes, of course he did. "So, how long will you be with us?"

"A week. Just a week." Emma replied.

"Maybe longer." Neal said.

"Maybe less." Emma threatened, though they both knew she didn't mean it.

"Great." Granny said quickly, before they could change their mind completely, handing over a key. "Welcome to Storybrooke."

...

"The evil queen sneered at the mirror, the image of Snow White - so innocent, pure and beautiful - still replacing the image of the usual face in the mirror." Neal read, Teddy's eyes flickering as he struggled to stay awake. "'Snow white is the fairest of them all?! There must be some mistake!' She roared in disbelief. 'There is no mistake,' the mirror replied, 'Snow White is, by far, the fairest of them all.'"

"Don't you think we've heard enough stories today?" Emma asked dryly, placing Clara in her car seat.

"I don't think we've heard enough, don't you think Teddy Bear?" he asked grandly, but when he looked down Teddy's eyes were closed and his breathing heavy.

Emma chuckled quietly. "That worked out well."

"Yeah." Neal chuckled, gently placing Teddy on the bed. "I don't think he found it as good as Henry's version."

"Yeah, I've never heard that version of the story before." Emma said, as the two of them lay down on the double bed in the middle of the room and Neal turned the light off. Automatically, as they had every night for eleven years (minus Emma's stint in prison) they turned to face each other. "Do you think we're doing the right thing?"

"Staying?" Neal asked. Emma nodded. "Yes. I think, Henry's in a bad place right now, and his mother is no help at all. We don't need to be his parents, but we do need to make sure he's okay."

Emma was silent for a moment before she smiled. "He called you dad." She whispered. Neal smiled at the memory.

"I haven't felt like that since Teddy's first word was dada."

"Okay, don't rub it in." Emma said and the two of them giggled quietly.

Emma took his hand gently. "Everything's going to be okay." She said, almost as if trying to tell herself that. Neal nodded, trying to assure himself of the same, but when Emma finally dropped off to sleep, and Neal glanced out of the window to see that the clock's time was 12.30, he felt a lump in his stomache that he couldn't shake.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Thing You Love Most**

Neal groaned when a loud knocking broke him out of his deep slumber. For years after his father had let go of his hand, after he had let him fall into that portal, Neal had been having nightmares. Those nightmares had only increased when he had been stuck on Neverland for nearlly a century. They had continued for years later, even after he met Emma - but, overtime, they had become less frequent. The longer he was with Emma, and Teddy and Clara, the more his nightmares were replaced with dreams of his family. But there were still some nights where his nightmares were really bad; seeing his father the night before had clearly had a bad effect on Neal, because he had just woken up from a really bad one.

He turned on his side, heart still hammering in his chest, blinking hard to try and wake himself up. He was the only one in his family still in bed; Teddy and Clara were on the floor, what little toys that had been left in the car in front of them, while Emma, cup of coffee in her hand, stood up from Teddy's bed and walked to the door. Neal groaned again, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep, but forced himself to sit upright in the bed.

"Did you know the Honeycrisp tree is the most vigorous and hearty of all apple trees?" Regina's voice came from the other side as soon as the door opened. Neal sighed as he put on his t-shirt, smiling at Clara when she looked up at him with a cheeky grin. "It can survive temperatures as low as forty below and keep growing. It can weather any storm. I have one that I've tended to since I was a little girl. And, to this day, I have yet to taste anything more delicious than the fruit it offers."

"Thank you, for that lovely bit of trivia." Neal muttered to himself, standing up and walking to the door as Regina handed Emma a basket of glossy red apples. Neal smirked at the 'subtle' threat.

"Thanks." Emma said, bemused as she took the basket.

"I'm sure your children will enjoy them on your drive home." Regina said pleasantly.

"Actually, we're going to stay for a while." Emma told her, making the mayor's overly sweet smile slip off her face.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. Henry has enough issues. He doesn't need you confusing him." Regina said firmly.

"All due respect, Madam Mayor, this is the second time you've threatened us and it is just making us want to stay more." Neal told her. Regina gave him a puzzled look.

"Since when were apples a threat?"

"We can read between the lines." Emma said.

"The fact that your son believes you are the Evil Queen who gave Snow White a poisoned apple, doesn't really help your case." Neal pointed out.

"Sorry." Emma sighed, feeling bad - despite everything - when she saw the desperate look in the Mayor's eyes. "We just want to make sure Henry's okay."

"He's fine. Any problems he has are being taken care of." Regina snapped, clearly not appreciating her pity. Emma frowned and Neal's eyes narrowed.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I have him in therapy. It's all under control. Take my advice. Only one of us knows what's best for Henry."

"I think that's more like two." Neal said dryly. How could this woman, who claimed to love her adopted son, say that she did when she just handed him over to a shrink rather than listen to him herself? How could she let him think that he was crazy, when they knew that he wasn't? She was letting her fear of the curse breaking get in the way of her relationship with her son, and it was only going to make him hate her, and fear her, more.

Regina clenched her jaw. "It's time for you to go." She said through her teeth.

"Or what?" Emma shot back, defiantly.

"Don't underestimate me, Mrs Cassidy." Regina said in a deadly whisper. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

"Just as you don't know what we're capable of." Neal said in return. He smiled at her as if they were having the most pleasant conversation in the world as he reached between the two woman and grabbed the door. "Thank you for stopping by, Madam Mayor." He said, before shutting the door before she could reply.

"That was a bit rude." Emma scolded quietly, though her amused smile did very little when it came to her trying to show her disapproval in his attitude towards the unpleasant woman.

"Like you didn't want to." Neal smirked, taking the basket of apples off her and placing them on a nearby table. "Why didn't you wake me up?" he asked, going to make himself a cup of coffee.

"You've been working too hard lately. I thought you needed a break." Emma admitted, sitting back down on the bed to watch Teddy and Clara.

Neal smiled as he poured the hot water into a mug, touched by her concern. Life had become hard for them both when they settled down and stopped stealing; it took them a while before they were actually able to find jobs and, while working at a call centre helped pay the bills, it wasn't what Neal wanted to do. With the children still young (particularly after Clara was born), money became a real issue for the Cassidy family, Neal didn't feel that it was the right time to start to look into ways of getting to a place he _wanted_ to be. He wanted to focus on supporting his family first, getting them things that they needed and also what they wanted. He loved to spoil his children and, if there was something that they desperately wanted, he would try and get it for them.

Luckily for him, he had someone as amazing as Emma to make decisions for him - he had come home one day from work to find an acceptance letter to a college that she had applied to for him. She had said that it was time for him to stop living for them and start doing what he wanted and, with her bail bonds _person_ career really taking off, they were able to get by financially at least.

...

"Here you go." Ruby said brightly, placing three cups of hot chocolate on the table in front of Emma, Neal and Teddy. Teddy squealed in delight while Neal and Emma looked at Ruby confused.

"Erm... we didn't order this." Neal said.

"Yeah, I know. You've made a friend." She nodded behind them and they turned to see Sheriff Graham nodding to them over his own cup. Neal frowned, looking between the two of them.

"Should I be concerned?" he asked, jokingly, raising an eyebrow at his wife. She gave him a sarcastic smile before she swung around in her chair and walked off, making her way over to the Sheriff's booth. Neal stayed where he was, watching them with interest as Emma sat down opposite Graham. He could only hear a few words here and there.

"Look, the cocoa was a nice guesture." He heard Emma say after a moment. "And I am impressed that you guessed that I like cinnamon on my chocolate because most people don't, but I am not here to flirt. I am married, I have a family to think about. So, thank you, but no thank you."

"I didn't send it." Graham protested, looking extremely amused by the misunderstanding.

"I did." Henry's voice echoed across the dinner as he popped up from behind one of the chairs, smiling at them widely. Emma and Neal both stood up automatically. "I like cinnamon, too."

"Don't you have school?" Neal asked, having not expected to see the boy until later in the day. "You shouldn't be skiving, that's not going to give us the best impression of us with your mother, if she is going to find you with us."

"Walk me." Henry said simply.

"You've just ordered us a hot chocolate." Neal pointed out with a smirk.

"Teddy drank it." Henry nodded behind him. Neal turned to see that Teddy, had in fact, emptied all three cups and was now practically bouncing with excitement, his eyes wide and his hands fidgeting constantly. He had gotten the drinks mostly down his front and looked half crazed because of all the added sugars.

"Teddy!" Emma scolded, walking over to him and wiping what was left of the chocolate off of his face, giving Neal a look over the five year old's head. Neal sighed, he wasn't quite sure how his son had managed to do it so quickly.

"Seriously, kid? I turned my back for a few minutes." Neal sighed, wondering how much of a high the five year old was going to have for the rest of the day and whether or not they would actually manage to get him in bed and asleep before two in the morning. Maybe Neal wouldn't need to worry about his nightmares tonight, because he wasn't likely to get any sleep at this rate.

...

"So, what's the deal with you and your mom?" Emma asked Henry when they were walking down the street towards the town school.

Henry sighed. "It's not about us, it's about her curse." He said adamently. "We have to break it. Luckily, I have a plan. Step One - identification. I call it Operation Cobra."

"Cobra? Why cobra?" Neal asked.

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with fairy tales." Emma agreed.

"Exactly. It's a code name to throw the Queen off the trail."

"I suppose it makes sense." Neal mused, holding onto Teddy's hand tightly as the little boy practically hanged off him. "Might be a bit obvious if we call it Operation Pixie, or Operation Poison Apple." Emma rolled her eyes at him while Henry just nodded in agreement.

"Can I be a part of Op'ration Cobra?" Teddy asked, looking up at Henry, who he had become very fond of, with admiration and hope.

Henry nodded kindly, smiling down at him. "Of course. We need plenty of help."

"So," Emma said, looking around the street as they walked, "everyone here is a fairy tale character. They just don't know it."

"That's the curse. Time's been frozen - until you got here." Henry said, before freezing when he saw one of Regina's bright red apples in Emma's hand. "Hey! Where'd you get that?" he asked, fear spiking through him.

"Your mom." Emma replied, confused. Particularly when Henry yanked it out of her hand and threw it over his shoulder.

"Don't eat that!"

"Oookay." Emma said slowly while Neal burst out laughing at her expression. Teddy wasn't quite sure what was happening, but he knew that his dad found something funny, so he began laughing too.

"I don't think it will be an issue, mate." Neal told the ten year old with a smile. "There isn't magic here, the apples will be harmless. Your mom can't hurt us."

"You can never be too careful." Henry said seriously, looking rather disappointed that Neal didn't know that.

"But what about their pasts?" Emma asked, turning the subject around to the apparent 'curse'.

"They don't know. It's a haze to them. Ask anyone anything, and you'll see."

Emma nodded slowly. "So, for decades, people have been walking around in a haze, not aging, with screwed up memories, stuck in a cursed town that kept them oblivious." Henry smiled at her.

"I knew you'd get it. That's why we need you. You're the only one who can stop her curse." He told her firmly.

"Because I'm the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming?"

"Yes. And, right now, we have the advantage. My mom doesn't know that." He told her, opening his book of fairy tales and showed the missing pages. "I took out the end, the part with you in it. See?" he asked, showing Emma the picture of Prince Charming placing a baby, who was swaddled up with the name tag reading 'Emma', in a cupboard. "Your mom is Snow White."

"Kid - " Emma sighed, looking down at the pages, overwhelmed. Neal smiled sadly, knowing that, out of all the things that Henry was saying about the curse, the comments about Emma's parents were the ones that were hitting her the most. As far as Emma knew, her parents had abandoned her on the side of the road - she had been left, in the middle of October, only wearing a blanket, as if she didn't matter. She could have been left to die, for all she knew. Being told that she had been left there - left to be raised in the system - for her own good, is hard for Emma to listen to.

"I know the hero never believes at first." Henry continued, seeing the look on Emma's face. "If they did, it wouldn't be a very good story. If you need proof, take them. Read them. But whatever you do, don't let her see these pages. They're dangerous. If she finds out who you are, then it would be bad." Henry shivered as he thought about what his mother would do to Emma if or when she found out who she was. Neal grimaced as well while Emma, dumbfounded, just continued walking in silence. Henry sighed as they came to a stop in front of his school, and handed the book over to Neal. "I've got to go, but I'll find you later and we can get started. I knew you'd believe me!"

"I never said I did." Emma protested, knowing how dangerous it could be for her to play along with this dellusion.

"Why else would you be here?" Henry asked, running off before she could reply. Neal flinched when he saw the look on Emma's face; Henry clearly couldn't know how much his words, however misled, could be taken by Emma.

"He didn't mean it like that." Neal said softly.

"He thinks that the only reason we're staying here is because I'm apparently the savior," Emma muttered sadly, staring after the boy as he passed one of the teachers. "How low could he be made to feel about himself to think that he isn't enough of a reason to stay."

"We'll show him differently." Neal promised, his own feeling of unsettlement in his chest, as the teacher with short hair walked over to them.

"It's good to see his smile back." She commented, glancing over her shoulder as Henry ran into the building.

"We didn't do anything." Emma said shrugged, uncomfortable with the serene smile on the woman's face. Neal studied the woman curiously, trying to work out who she could be. People like Ruby and Granny were easy to work out, Archie was once you knew he was the town's shrink, but this woman he wasn't sure on.

"You stayed." The woman said, her tone showing her happiness at the fact. She turned to Neal and held out her hand. "Hey, I'm Mary Margaret. Henry's teacher."

Neal shook her hand with a smile. "Neal Cassidy. Henry's father."

"Biological father." Emma said automatically.

Mary Margaret nodded. "So, does the Mayor know you're still here?"

"Oh, she knows." Emma said dryly. "What is her deal? She's not a great people person. How did she get elected mayor?" she asked.

Mary Margaret shrugged. "She's been mayor for as long as I can remember." Literally, Neal thought to himself. "No one's ever been brave enough to run against her. She inspires quite a bit of, well, fear. I'm afraid I only made that worse by giving Henry that book. Now he thinks she's the Evil Queen."

Neal snorted. "She does give off that impression though, doesn't she?" Mary Margaret said nothing, though the way she smiled and raised her eyebrows told Neal exactly how she felt about the mayor. "Who does Henry think you are?" he asked, curious, knowing that Henry had been right so far.

"Oh, it's silly." Mary Margaret giggled awkwardly.

"I've just had five minutes of silly." Emma pushed, before glancing down at Teddy warily, but he didn't appear to be listening. She knew that, many times in the past, he had soaked up what they were saying very easily and blurted it out at the worst time ever. He had once heard Neal insulting his boss - a month later, his boss and his wife came to their flat for dinner and Teddy had repeated what Neal had said. "Lay it on us."

"Snow White." Mary Margaret answered, making Emma and Neal freeze. Neal stared at the woman in front of him; so this was his mother-in-law. "Who does he think you are?" she asked, not noticing they're stares.

"We're not in the book." Emma said quietly, still looking stumped. Neal glanced down at the book without answering, wondering whether his story was. He had always assumed that, just because his father was in fairytales - as was Peter Pan and Captain Hook - that he wouldn't be in them. After all, who was he? His mother and Hook had aparently had a tragic love story but he had never heard of it when he had arrived in this world - although, he knew now, that the stories weren't always right. As far as he knew, those stories could be in _this_ book, which seemed to take on a more reliable source of information. Henry was a smart boy, would he eventually work out who he is? "Can I ask you a favour?" Emma asked, oblivious to Neal's wandering interest, "Regina mentioned the kid's in therapy. Do you know where I could find the doctor?"

"Yeah, it's opposite Granny's dinner." Mary Margaret told her, as Neal opened the book and began to look through it, flicking through the pages as he tried to find a story about the Dark One.

He barely noticed that the two of them had stopped talking until he felt Emma gently tug on his arm. "Hey," she said softly, drawing his attention away from the book. "I'm going to go to the psychiatrists office and see if I can get any information out of him."

"Okay." Neal nodded, closing the book and tucking it under his arm. "I'll take the kids to the park, I may have promised someone I.C.E.C.R.E.A.M." He gave a pointed look down at Teddy, who looked up at them confused.

Emma raised her eyebrows. "More sugar?" she asked, Neal shrugged.

"Well, we are on holiday." Neal pointed out. Despite not knowing what his parent's were actually talking about, Teddy nodded firmly, looking at his mother seriously.

"I suppose." Emma said slowly, smiling as she looked between the two of them who were giving them their best pleading eyes. "Fine. But you're the one who's peeling him off the ceiling tonight." She warned Neal. He just smirked and pulled her closer, kissing her gently, ignoring the sound of disgust from Teddy.

"I'll see you later." He said, taking Clara's car seat from his wife before walking in the direction of Henry's castle.

...

His father was mentioned frequently within the book, but Neal couldn't find any mention of his child self or his mother. The book had no mention of how his father became the Dark One and - something which was good for Gold - had no mention of the dagger and how the Dark One could be killed or controlled.

Neal felt a strange mixture of relief and disappointment. He was so releived that his story wasn't in the book so that Henry wouldn't be able to find out who he was. While he didn't want to lie to the book, he had a feeling that, when he eventually did tell him his story, he would need to edit it so that Henry didn't know that he was the son of Rumpelstiltskin. Henry was kind-hearted and caring, but he was also impulsive - he could quite easily blurt out to Gold that Neal was Baelfire, and then he would have to deal with his father for the remaining time that they were there; which could be a long time, because he doubted Snow White and Prince Charming (wherever he is) would be willing to let go of Emma once they remember her. He never wanted his father to find out who he was, he wanted to take that secret with him to the grave. On the other hand, it felt like, even in the reliable version, he and his mother were forgotten. It felt like their story didn't matter - which seemed ridiculous, now that Neal thought about it more. Of course they didn't matter to his father; nothing did unless it involved his gain in power.

"Daddy." He looked down at the little boy, tugging on his shirt, with a smile.

He had been terrified when Emma had told him that she was pregnant with Teddy - he had no idea to be a parent, he had hardly had much role models when it came to good parenting, except for his father before he became the Dark One, so how would he know how to be one to his own - but, after he had gotten used to the idea, he had adored him in an instant. He had been excited to become a daddy and, when Teddy had eventually arrived into the world, he had sworn to protect him above all else. He couldn't imagine letting him go across the street by himself, let alone into a different world with no way back. His father had chosen power over him, he would give all the power in the world for his children.

"Can you tell me a story?" he asked, having abandoned the slide for the first time since they had arrived a couple of hours ago. He looked towards the book curiously, knowing that it was his brothers made it even more special, and made him want to hear the stories even more.

Neal hesitated before relenting, pulling the small boy onto his lap before opening the book in front of them. Teddy snuggled into his father's chest, having known the routine from story time before bed. Clara, who had yet to start walking, had been sat at his side already, playing with building blocks as intently as if she was building an actual house; she gave Neal her full attention when he began to read the first page.

"Dad!" Neal looked up from the book a little while later to see Henry running towards him, Mary Margaret in tow, looking panicked.

"Henry?" Neal frowned in concern, gently setting Teddy on the castle next to him. He handed the little boy the book which had caused all of this, before jumping down to the ground. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"My mom's got Emma arrested!"

Neal's eyes widened, unsure whether he had heard him right. "What?!"

"She's been arrested for stealing Henry's files from Archie." Mary Margaret clarified. "Regina came to the school to tell Henry and, obviously, he was very upset."

"Of course she did." Neal sighed.

...

When they finally got to the sheriff's department - which had been a struggle trying to carry Clara around and also deal with a hyperactive Teddy, who wasn't very happy about having to leave a park, no matter how much Henry tried to help and convince the small boy that this was a part of Operation Cobra - Graham was taking Emma's mug shot.

"Hey!" Henry protested, running over to them, Teddy's hand tightly in his.

"Henry! What are you doing here?" Graham asked, looking a little ashamed at what he having to do to Emma. Even more so when he saw Henry's expression.

"The mayor was kind enough to pull him out of class and tell him what happened." Neal said sarcastically, walking in in a more steady pace, fully aware that he had Clara in his arms. He wasn't about to drop his child; Emma had never let him live it down the last time.

Emma sighed. "Of course she did." She said, looking at Henry. "Henry, I don't know what she said - "

"You're a genius." Henry gushed, Teddy looked at him before he nodded in agreement, his smile wide.

Graham and Emma stared at him, confused. "What?" Emma asked blankly.

"We worked it out." Neal smiled, winking discretely when she looked at him. "All of us know that you were gathering intel for Operation Cobra. We need all we can manage if we're about to go up against the Evil Queen."

"I'm sorry. I'm a bit lost." A puzzled Graham asked.

"It's need to know, Sheriff." Henry told him, dismissively. "And, all you need to know is that Miss Blanchard's going to bail her out."

Emma looked at the teacher in surprise. "You are? Why?" she asked, looking between an awkward looking Neal and Mary Margaret.

"I... uh... trust you." Mary Margaret decided on eventually, something which didn't sit right to either Emma or Neal - ever since he found out she was family, Neal felt a protective urge for Mary Margaret - who both knew, from Emma's job, how easily people can skip bail and betray those who 'trust' them.

"Well," Emma said finally, turning to Graham. "If you can uncuff me, I have something to do."

"No." Neal said firmly, making everyone turn towards him.

"What, no don't uncuff her?" Graham asked, looking completely lost by the current situation. Neal rolled his eyes, but took pity on the sheriff.

"Uncuff her," he told him before turning to Emma. "I meant; no you don't have something to do. I do."

"Neal," Emma shook her head, seeing the rage behind her husband's eyes. Her husband, who was usually so laid back that she wanted to slap him sometimes, was fuming. She hadn't seen him this angry in years and none of those times had ever ended good. It almost always landed him in trouble, if they were able to pin it onto him in the first place - but, when it came to Regina, she felt a strange desire to urge him on. Even though she truly wished that she could do the honor herself. "This isn't your fight."

"She's messing with my family. This is very much my fight." Neal replied, looking her dead in the eye to try and convey another message which she understood completely. She hated jail, and didn't want to go back there. If she was to break her bail, then she would almost certainly spend time in jail - he wanted to make sure that this doesn't happen. Neal turned to Mary Margaret. "Thank you for your help. I'll pay you back as soon as I can."

"It's no problem." Mary Margaret insisted, but Neal shook his head.

"I'm grateful." He said, handing Clara over to her before walking out.

"Neal!" Emma called from behind him. He turned to see her running after him, down the hall of the station. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm just going to give Regina a message from both of us," he assured her. "The way I'm going to do it, however, may be slightly illegal."

"Then let me do it." She tried to convince him, though she knew it would be useless.

As she had predicted, Neal shook his head. "You're already in enough trouble as it is. Trust me, I've got this." He gave her a smile before leaving, this time without any protests.

Neal Cassidy's smile only grew as he walked through the streets of and ended up outside the Mayor's office, using a chainsaw to cut down Regina's tree down, the gloosy, red apples dropping to the floor and bruising, taking away their almost indesirable quality that Neal had to admit that they had. He knew that this would bother the Mayor; after all, this was one of the few things she had decided to take with her to this world when the curse had hit.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Regina exclaimed, rushing towards him rather briskly considering she was wearing high heels.

He turned off the chainsaw when he had succeeded in cutting down a large part of the tree, enjoying the look of pure panic on her face when she saw the state of her tree. "I would've thought that would be self explanatory." He smirked.

"You're out of your mind!"

"No, Madam Mayor, I think that would be you." Neal said, calmly walking towards her. She took a step back carefully. "I warned you that there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for my children. Perhaps I should rephrase that; there isn't anything I wouldn't do for my _family_. Maybe you don't understand that because you have no one, but let me tell you; if you come after anyone in my family one more time, I'm coming back for the rest of this tree. And I won't just stop there; I will not stop until I take away everything you love. You have no idea what I am capable of, and you don't want to face both me and Emma together, because we're stronger than you are on your own." He gave her a smile, as if nothing about the current situation was threatening and she wasn't staring at him like she wanted to rip his heart out. "You're move."

...

Neal smiled as Emma laughed when he told her what he had done later that afternoon when they walked back into the inn.

"I can't believe you did that." She finally said when her laughter had calmed down. She looked at him with the same look that she had back back when they were Bonnie and Clyde; it was strange to think that he sometimes missed that look. There life had been amazing for the past ten years - minus to short period of time that they had spent apart - and they had enjoyed every minute of it, but Neal sometimes wondered whether Emma had missed those times before she went to prison. "I wish I could have been there to see her face."

"I wish I had taken a picture." Neal chuckled at the memory of it.

"Mrs Cassidy, Mr Cassidy." Granny called to them, just as they reached their room. They turned to look at her while the Teddy ran into the room, noticing how awkward she looked as she walked towards them. "Oh my, this is terribly awkward. Uh, I need to ask you to leave." She finally came out with. Emma's hand tightened around Neals. "I'm afraid we have a 'no felons' rule. It... It turns out, it's a city ordinance."

"Let me guess - the Mayor's office just called to remind you." Neal said, smiling tightly, his good mood fading. Granny nodded weakly.

"You can gather your things, but I need to have your room key back." Granny told them.

Emma shook her head. "I can't be here, but that doesn't mean that Neal and the kids need to leave, does it?" she asked, quickly. When Granny hesitated, she continued. "Please. Just until we find somewhere else to stay. I don't want my kids to be homeless."

That seemed to do the trick for Granny, who looked at them sympathetically. "Of course they can stay."

"Thank you." Emma sighed in relief.

"Emma," Neal said when Granny left. "If you're going, I'm going." He said firmly, knowing that there was nowhere for her to go - which meant the car, something that they hadn't needed to do for years, especially after they had had Teddy and Clara (more motivation to keep the apartments).

"I can sleep in the car, you can too, but Teddy and Clara can't." Emma pointed out. Neal sighed, not happy that his wife needed to sleep in the car because of the evil queen's meddling, but knowing that she had a point. It was cold this time of year and the kids were too much at risk of being ill - plus, if Regina were to find out, there would be no chance about it, she would call social services and get the kids taking away from them.

"Fine." He reluctantly agreed, though his scowl stayed on his face until long after Emma collected her things and went to put them in the car.

...

An hour later, Neal's phone began to ring and he answered it to hear his wife crying on the other end. He instantly began to panic.

"Emma? What's wrong?" he asked, nervously, wondering what Regina had done now - because, obviously, there would be no other person who could get to Emma like that infuriating woman.

"I didn't know he was there, I swear I didn't." Emma cried, sounding heartbroken. "Regina tricked me, and I called him crazy. I didn't know he was listening."

Neal sighed, closing his eyes in disbelief. Of course Regina would manipulate the situation like that, regardless of what the effect could have on her own son. Neal could only imagine how the kid was feeling now, or how his wife was feeling at being the one who would've caused the betrayal and hurt in his eyes when she turned around to face him. "Okay," he said slowly, unsure of what he should do about this. "Okay, this isn't your fault and we will fix this. We're staying, so there is plenty of time to make this up to Henry - "

"No." Emma said sharply, sniffing slightly on the other end. Neal froze - he knew that tone, and he wasn't sure he was going to like where this was going.

"What do you mean, no?" he dared to ask.

"We're making him worse by staying here, by playing into his fantasy."

"Dr. Hopper says it is the best way of helping Henry. We need to play along until he grows out of it." Or, until Emma breaks the curse and then everyone will know that Henry is, in no way, crazy.

"And what if he doesn't? He has no grip of reality and Regina is right, we aren't the right people for him. Look, I'm going to sort everything here and then we leave for Boston tonight. I really think that this is the best thing."

Neal sighed. "Well, I don't. I'm not leaving him behind, not this time." He knew that he had hit a nerve when he heard the intake of breath on the other side of the phone.

"You can stay here, then." Emma snapped. "But, in an hour, I'm going back to the inn and getting the kids, and we're going home." She said, hanging up before Neal could even get another word in.

...

"Cinnamon?" Emma questioned in surprise when Mary Margaret handed her a cup of hot chocolate. Mary Margaret's eyes widened and she looked at her apologetically.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She cringed, hovering between sitting down in the chair opposite Emma, or going back into the kitchen to make the blonde another cup. "I should've asked. It's a little quirk of mine. Do you mind?" she asked. Emma shook her head, wondering whether her little quirk of cinnamon in hot chocolate wasn't as rare as she had first thought - and, to think, Neal always used to think she was weird because she liked it. That would teach him, Emma thought, almost sadly as she took a sip, the memory of her harsh words still fresh in her mind.

"Not at all." She told the easily nervous woman. "Oh, thanks, by the way. When you bailed me out. I know Neal already said it, but I wanted to say thanks too."

Mary Margaret just shrugged it off. "It's fine. Do you think Neal is alright with it?" she asked, after a moment.

Emma sighed, knowing instantly what she was concerned about. "Neal is a very proud man." She admitted. "He doesn't like feeling like he owes people, and I think he's ashamed, which is stupid but that's my husband all over."

"Why would he be ashamed?" Mary Margaret asked, confused.

"Because he couldn't pay my bail himself. He's back in college, he's only got one last year left but for the past couple of years he hasn't had a lot of money and, when he did, he would spend it almost instantly on us to try and make up for the fact that I have been paying for everything. It's stupid, and I can't wait for him to leave college so that he doesn't need to feel that way any more." Emma sighed, looking for a way to change the subject. She shouldn't be telling Mary Margaret everything about them, but she had never felt like she was able to until she met Henry's teacher. With her, it just seemed natural. "When you bailed me out, you said that you trusted me. Why?"

Mary Margaret was silent for a moment before she said, "It's strange. Ever since you arrived here, I've had the oddest feeling like we met before. And, I know it's crazy..."

"I'm starting to re-evaluate my definition of crazy." Emma sighed, remembering the look on Henry's face when he overheard her in Regina's office.

"For what it's worth, I think you're innocent."

"Of breaking and entering, or just in general?"

Mary Margaret shrugged. "Whatever makes you feel better."

"It doesn't really matter what anyone thinks I did or didn't do. We're leaving." She admitted, not noticing Mary Margaret's frown. "Thank you - for everything - but I think it's for the best. If we stay, Henry's only going to keep getting hurt."

"What happens if you go?" Mary Margaret asked. "I think the very fact that you want to leave, is why you have to stay. You and Neal care about him. Who will protect Henry's if not his parents?"

Emma sat in silence for a long moment. Who would look after Henry? Regina clearly didn't care what happened to the boy so long as she had a hold over him, and she had everyone in her pocket - as Archie had pointed out earlier that day. Once they left, he would be on his own, Emma realised, on his own to deal with these delusions. He could become even worse.

Emma nodded slowly before looking at Mary Margaret. "I need to call Neal, would you mind watching the kids for a couple of hours?" she asked hopeful. Mary Margaret, who had been waiting with baited breath, smiled widely and nodded.

"Of course." She said, her smile widening as Emma got up from the table and pulled out her phone. She sensed that the Cassidy family were going to be staying longer than anyone had predicted, and she couldn't help but feel relieved about it. She had felt so lonely for as long as she could remember; she could sense that Henry felt very much the same, and she hoped that this family would change that. That they would help him in a way that his adopted mother refused to.

...

"Ready?" Neal asked Emma, his hand already on the door handle. Emma took a deep breath before nodding, but grabbed his hand and stopped him when he went to open the door. He looked at her, noticing the fear in her green eyes.

"We're doing the right thing, right?" she asked, her insecurities finally showing through, no matter how much she tried to keep them hidden on the way over. Neal sighed sadly, wishing that Emma had more faith in herself. He hated that she felt the need to keep asking him what he thought was the right thing when it came to Henry. He hoped for the day when she would just know, and would feel comfortable in her own ability to care for their son.

"We are." He promised her, waiting for her to nod again before he opened the door and they walked into Archie's office, making both Archie and Henry looked towards the door in surprise.

"Mrs Cassidy!" Archie exclaimed, guilt flooding over his face when he caught sight of the blonde woman. Neal, remembering what he did, wanted to glare at him but the knowledge of who he once was stopped him; after all, this was all Regina's fault, not the fairy tale characters who had been cursed and now had to obey her every word. "Look, I can explain. The Mayor forced me to - "

"I know. Don't worry about it. I get it." Emma said dismissively, turning towards Henry. "Henry, I'm sorry."

Henry turned away from her, a scowl on his face. "I don't want to talk to you." He mumbled, his voice holding all of the sadness that he felt and Emma almost crumbled.

"Mr Cassidy." Archie turned to Neal nervously. "If she knew you were here - "

"Who cares." Neal muttered, walking towards the couch which Henry was sitting on and kneeling down in front of him so that he could look at his face. "Henry, we're not staying here because of the curse. We're staying here for you."

"She thinks I'm crazy." Henry told him, pointing at Emma who stood slightly behind Neal. Emma's heart clenched when she looked into his eyes which were filled with hurt and betrayal, just like they had been when she had seen him at Regina's office.

"No, Henry. I think the curse is crazy." She said softly. "And it is. But, that doesn't mean that it isn't true." Henry looked up at her at that. "It is a lot to ask anyone to believe in, but there are a lot of crazy things in this world. So, what do I know. Maybe it is true."

Henry frowned, feeling a bit lost. "But you told my mom - "

"What she needed to hear." Neal said, sharing a glance with Emma, who nodded.

"What I do know," Emma continued, stepping forward, "is that if the curse is real, the only way to break it is by tricking the Evil Queen into thinking that we are non-believers. 'Cause that way, she's not on to us. Isn't that what Operation Cobra was all about? Throwing her off the trail?"

Henry stared at her for a moment before his face lit up and a smile spread across his face, making both Emma and Neal relax and smile back. "Brilliant!"

Emma held up the torn out pages. "I've read the pages and, Henry, you are right. They are dangerous. There is only one way to make sure that she never sees them." Emma turned to the fireplace and threw the pages into the fire, watching them burn for a moment before turning around to face Henry, Neal and Archie, two of which were smiling at her, while the other was looking at her in admiration. "Now we have the advantage."

"I knew you were here to help me." Henry said. Neal ruffled his hair.

"That's right, kid." He said happily.

"And nothing," Emma said, walking over to them and pulling the younger boy into a hug, "not even a curse, is going to stop that."

...

"What a mess." Mr Gold commented as he walked into the garden, seeing Regina tending to the half butchered apple tree.

"Not for long." Regina muttered, thinking more about the mess that was currently in her life. One which, with any hope, was long gone by now. "What could I do for you, Mr Gold?" she asked with false pleasantries as she turned towards the smirking man.

Mr Gold shrugged. "I was just in the neighbourhood. Thought I'd pop by. Lovely to see you in such high spirits."

"Well," Regina said, her smile widening. "It's been a good day. I just rid the town of unwanted nuisances."

"Emma Cassidy and her family? Really?"

"Yes. I imagine they are half way to Boston by now."

"Oh, I wouldn't bet on that." Mr Gold smirked wider, making Regina's smile falter. "I've just seen Emma and her husband strolling down the main street with your boy. Thick as thieves, they looked."

"What?" she asked, in a deadly whisper.

"Perhaps you should have come to me. If the Cassidy's are a problem you can't fix, I'm only too happy to help." He paused. "For a price, of course."

"I'm not in the business of making deals with you anymore." Regina snapped. Mr Gold frowned.

"To which deal are you referring?"

"You know what deal."

"Oh, right. Yes. The boy I procured for you." Mr Gold said, walking closer towards her. "Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? However did you pick it?"

Regina clenched her teeth together tightly. "Did you want them to come to town?" she asked instead. "You wanted all this to happen, didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident, was it?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Mr Gold asked, though Regina could see from his expression that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Where did you get him? Do you know something?"

"I have no idea what you're implying."

"I think you do. Who is this woman, his mother, this... Emma Cassidy?"

Mr Gold smirked. "I would say you think you know exactly who she is." He whispered, before moving away. "I really must be going."

Before he could leave the garden, however, Regina rushed around him and put herself in his way. "Tell me what you know about her." She ordered with a snarl.

"I'm not going to answer you, dear. So I suggest you excuse me." When she didn't move, he leaned forwards and said, "Please", making her eyes widened as she remembered an old deal they made, long ago. A deal that _he_ shouldn't be able to remember. He gave her one last smirk before walking around her, leaving her staring at the spot where he had once been.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Okay, so, this episode had to be, by far, my least favourite of series one; when I started writing it, I thought that it was focused more on Snow White and Prince Charming, so there wasn't enough of Emma and I wasn't quite sure how I was going to get more Swanfire moments in there, so I decided to have some flashbacks of their time together - back when Emma was first released from prison. Of course, then this chapter turned out to be the longest I have done so far - and that is without the flashbacks. Not quite sure how that happened, but there you go.

I'm not feeling great today - I'm currently lying in bed with the flu, so I though that I might as well get some writing down. Thanks for all of the interest and support for this story so far, I'm glad people seem to be enjoying it and I hope you all like this chapter :)

...

 **Snow Falls**

 _2001, Early December - Phoenix_

Neal took a deep breath as he glanced at his watch. Not long now, he thought to himself, and Emma will be out and then I'll be in trouble. He stood there anxiously, staring at the building which he knew that Emma had spent the last eleven months of her life - well, he hoped this was the right place. August had refused to tell him so Neal had had to try and find out by himself. It would be really bad if it wasn't because, if Emma got released somewhere else, he knew that he wouldn't be able to find her. Emma was good at hiding when she wanted to be.

He had regretted listening to August for so long after Emma had first got arrested, but it was only when her release date came up that he truly made his decision to try and make things up to her and, even then, he was starting to second guess everything.

The past year had been hell and, no matter where he tried to run to, he couldn't get Emma out of his head. He was a coward, he had truly become like his father and he felt sick over abandoning the woman he loved. He had tried to forget about her. He had gone to Canada, rather than Tallahassee, and had found a job working in the kitchens of some diner in the middle of nowhere and focused on keeping on the straight and narrow to make himself forget all of his time with her, to try and pretend that none of it meant anything to him and had even tried to find a girl. But no girl could ever match up to Emma Swan, he had learned that very quickly. He had never wrote or called her to see whether she was okay, and he had never tried to visit. But he began to count the days without really thinking about it. He wondered what she was doing during her birthday and considered sending her a present, before talking himself out of it - he knew that, chance were, it was going to end up in the bin. The months turned into weeks, and then days, and somehow he found himself getting on the train to Phoenix.

So, here he was; waiting for the girl who drove him crazy most of the time. The one who would, ultimately, lead him back to his father if they managed to last the next ten years. But, even then, he couldn't bring himself to regret his decision. He wanted to be with Emma and, with her by his side, he could face his father. After all, he wasn't the same little boy, and didn't even look the same. Chances were, his father wouldn't recognise him.

Neal took another deep breath as he heard the gates open, signalling Emma's release.

...

Mary Margaret sighed as she walked down the street, away from Granny's diner, wrapping her cardigan tighter around herself. The October air bit at her skin and she wished that she had brought her coat, feeling stupid that she had assumed that she wouldn't need it tonight; she had hoped that her date, as she had wish others, would be like in the movies, and that Doctor Whale would offer his at the end of the date when he walked her home. The date, however, had been a disaster, and she was walking home wishing that something, anything, would make her happy again. She hadn't been properly happy for as long as she could remember.

She frowned when she saw Emma and Neal's car, a small light reflecting off one of the mirrors. She walked over to the drivers side and saw Emma sitting in the front, holding up a flashlight to look at a newspaper. She frowned in concern. "Hey. You okay?" she asked, drawing attention to her presence. Emma jumped before giving her a smile.

"Oh, in the world of tight spots I've been in, crashing in my car doesn't even rank in the top ten." Emma brushed off her concern.

Mary Margaret's frown deepened. "You're sleeping here?"

"'Til we find a place. It's fine, though. Neal's been popping out ever half an hour with coffee and extra blankets which he managed to guilt out of Granny."

"You decided to stay." Mary Margaret smiled. "For Henry."

"Yeah, I guess. This town doesn't seem to have any vacancies. None, actually. Is that normal?"

"Must be the curse." Mary Margaret joked.

Emma chuckled with her. "Why are you out so late?"

"Well, I'm a teacher, not a nun. I had a date." She added when she saw Emma's look. Emma's expression suddenly turned sympathetic.

"From the looks of things, it went well."

"As well as they ever do."

"Tell me he at least paid." Emma pleaded, sighing when Mary Margaret pulled a face. "Ew."

"Well, I guess if true love was easy, we'd all have it. You and Neal are lucky. You know, if things get cramped, I do have a space room."

Emma grimaced, thinking of the family of four piling into a small room - they'd never been forced to do that before, as she and Neal had managed to get themselves settled before Teddy was even born. There had been no more sleeping in the back of the car as they had done at the beginning of their relationship. They had managed to give Teddy and Clara everything they never had; she hated the idea of forcing them into one room, especially when it could cause problems for Mary Margaret too. While the woman was clearly open to the idea of roommates, she had yet to witness Neal's snoring, Teddy getting nearlly the entire house up at six in the morning, or Clara protesting the new bedtime routine that she and Neal had been trying to stick to for just over a month now. "Thanks, but I need to find a place for the whole family. Living at Granny's isn't exactly ideal when neither of us have an income."

"It's a big spare room." Mary Margaret tried again. Emma wondered why the teacher decided to sleep downstairs then, with only a curtain blocking out her 'room' from the rest of the apartment.

"Thanks - "

"But no thanks." Mary Margaret finished with a nod, an understanding smile on her face to hide her disappointment. "Okay, well, goodnight. Good luck with Henry."

"Yeah..." Emma sighed, watching as Mary Margaret walked off before returning to the paper, hoping to find somewhere that they could go. She looked back up for a moment, seeing that Mary Margaret was long gone, and smiled when she saw Neal walking out of Granny's, a mug of cocoa in his left hand and a small pile of blankets under his right arm.

"Hey," he said, when he replaced Mary Margaret's previous position. He handed over the blankets and cocoa before he leant against the car, wrapping his arms around his chest as protection against the almost icy breeze. "Any luck in the paper?"

"No." Emma sighed, taking a sip of the cocoa with cinnamon. She smiled as warmth flooded through her. "There are no vacancies what-so-ever and even less jobs. What about online?"

"Nothing." Neal told her, though he truly hadn't expected there to be. Storybrooke didn't exist to the outside world - when he had typed it into the search engine, it had come up with no results. He knew that it would be useless trying to find a place that way but he had become desperate; back when he was younger, sleeping in the back of the bug had been the norm. Now, he really hated the fact that Emma was forced to because there was nowhere else for them to go.

"Mary Margaret offered us her spare room." Emma told him, making Neal perk up.

"We should take it." He said instantly, making his wife sigh heavily. "What? We'll have a place to stay and it would be a lot cheaper than staying at Granny's."

"It would feel like we're in the way, constantly. I don't want us to feel like that, especially with the kids." Emma protested. "Mary Margaret really doesn't know what she is letting herself in for with our family."

"We've been in worse situations in the past." Neal reminded her. "Living in Mary Margaret's spare room is a step-up considering where we are now. Look," he said, when Emma opened her mouth to reply, "can you just promise me you'll think about it and we can talk about it soon?"

Emma hesitated before reluctantly nodding. "Okay."

"Thank you." Neal smiled, giving Emma a kiss before, against his better judgement, he pulled away to walk back into the Bed and Breakfast. "I'll see you in a bit."

Emma's smile slid off her face as she watched him walk away; she knew he was right, a spare room was very inviting when she thought of the heat that he would be feeling now that he was back in doors. She had just hoped for better for her family - Henry's mother may be a hard-ass, slightly on the psycho side, but he had all of the essentials. But for Teddy and Clara, all she could provide for them was a spare room in a strangers apartment. Not for the first time in her life, Emma Cassidy felt like a failure.

...

"I found your father." Henry told Emma the next day as the two of them sat on Henry's castle, their legs hanging over the side. She had managed to catch upto him before after he went to school; while Neal managed to catch a few hours back at Granny's. He had been checking up on her all night, and had barely managed to get any sleep of his own. Teddy and Clara, were more than happy to stay in bed with too, and have some snuggles - usually Neal's usual excuse of, they're on holiday. Emma knew that Neal was going to regret those few extra hours when he found out that he had missed out on the chance to see Henry. The young boy handed over his book of fairy tales, to show a picture of a prince, standing in the middle of the woods with a small cut on his chin. "Prince Charming."

"Henry..." Emma said slowly, looking at the picture with a sad frown. Henry didn't notice and continued as if nothing was wrong.

"He's in the hospital, in a coma. See the scar?" he pointed to the cut, as if it hadn't been noticeable beforehand. "He has one, too."

"So?" Emma shrugged, trying to pass it off. "Lots of people have scars."

He gave her a doubtful look. "In the same place? Don't you see what this means?" he asked, but she couldn't answer. Because, in truth, she didn't. Neal was better at this stuff than she was, she should have waited for him to wake up and catch up with Henry after school instead. "The curse is keeping them apart with the coma. Now, they're stuck without each other. We have to tell Miss Blanchard we found her Prince Charming." Henry said enthusiastically.

"Okay, kid. Telling someone their soulmate is in a coma is probably not helpful. Not having a happy ending is painful enough, but giving someone unrealistc hope is far worse."

"But what if I'm right?" he shot back confidently. "We know who they are, now they have to know."

Emma sighed. "And how do you intend to make that happen?" she asked, already dreading the answer. Was this the right way to go with this? She couldn't see how it could be; in the end, it was only going to make Henry depressed when he realised that his dellusions weren't real.

"By reminding him. We have to get her to read their story to John Doe. Then, maybe, he'll remember who he is."

"Okay." Emma agreed, her own plan on how to break Henry out of these dellusions forming in her head. It seemed perfect, and was less likely to hurt Henry in the long run. She just hoped that Neal, who (the big kid that he is) seemed content in just playing along with Operation Cobra, would agree that it was the best solution in order to make Henry face the reality of things.

"Okay?" Henry repeated brightly. Emma nodded.

"Yeah, we'll do it. But we'll do it my way. Let me ask her."

Henry shrugged. "Okay. Tell her to start from where Snow White and Prince Charming first met." He said, jumping down off the castle. "I need to go, my mom is expecting me to be home for dinner."

"Okay, kid. See you tomorrow." Emma stayed sat on the castle, watching him as he walked away. Once he was out of sight she looked back down at the picture of Prince Charming; she sighed sadly before closing it.

...

"You want me to read to a coma patient?" Mary Margaret asked, staring at Emma in surprise as she made cocoa for herself and the entire family. She and Emma had become almost like friends the longer that the Cassidy's were in Storybrooke; they definitely had a lot to talk about and tonight felt no different. The Cassidy's made everyone feel welcome just by being in their presence - so she didn't feel like she was intruding like she usually did when she was around families, having none of her own. She was able to sit contently as she and Emma watched Neal from her kitchen as he tickled his children, laughing along with them as they giggled insanely. She smiled softly over at them before returning to her conversation with her, obviously spectical, friend.

Emma sighed. "Henry thinks it will help him remember who he was."

"And, who does he think he was?"

"Prince Charming." Teddy called over, peering at them from where he was being held upside down by his father. Emma looked around at them and her eyes widened when she saw the way her husband was holding their five year old.

"Neal." She said warning, only relaxing when Neal - sighing in disappointment - placed him the right way up. Teddy whined as well, having been happy to see his mother and Mary Margaret hanging from the ceiling like bats. He soon got over his disappointment when his dad got him to team up on Clara, smiling as she screeched with laughter, kicking her legs out gently.

"And, if I'm Snow White, he thinks me... and him..." Mary Margaret blushed, making Emma smile wider when she saw the look on her friend's face.

She nodded. "He has a very active imagination, which is the point. I can't talk him out of his beliefs, so we need to show him. Play along, do what he says and maybe, just maybe - "

"He'll see that fairy tales are just that. That there's no such thing as love at first sight or first kiss. He'll see reality." Mary Margaret finished for her, lowering her voice since she had learned from the very beginning that Teddy had the ears of a bat. Neal, having heard everything go a little quieter, glanced over at them curiously before turning his attention back onto his kids, the oldest of which dived at him taking advantage of the lapse in his dad's attention.

"Something like that."

Mary Margaret sighed, understanding that this could be what was needed if they were going to help Henry. She felt partly responsible; having given Henry the book herself. Despite that, she couldn't feel completely bad, as it was because of the book that Henry reached out and found Emma and Neal. They were good for him, and clearly cared for him already. "Well, sadly, this plan is rather genius. We get him to the truth without hurting him."

"I told him that we will all meet tomorrow for breakfast at Granny's. And you will give a full report." She informed her dark haired friend, who placed two mugs and a sippy cup of cocoa on the side ready for when Neal and the kids were ready to calm down, which didn't appear to be likely to happen any time soon.

"Well, I suppose I have a date." She joked. "I guess I'll have to do all the talking." They watched as Clara got bored and moved back to her building blocks while Neal and Teddy continued, Teddy managing to climb all over Neal, almost strangling him by hold tightly onto his neck from behind. Neal easily flipped him over his shoulder, trying to force the unrelenting boy into submission.

"Do you give?" he asked, over Teddy's screams.

"A hero never gives up!"

"Then I guess we'll be here all night." Neal shot back, pulling up the boys shirt to blow raspberries on his stomache.

Mary Margaret smiled and then turned back to Emma, lowering her voice again. "What does Neal think of this plan?"

"He's all for it. Henry's plan, that is." Emma rolled her eyes, unable to keep the smile off her face. "He doesn't think that there is anything wrong with his fairy tale thing; says that Henry will get over it eventually. He doesn't think that our plan will work. He even went on the internet and found an article about a guy who woke up from his coma because one of the nurses read him a fairy tale that his mother had read him when he was two."

"But these versions are very different, aren't they?" Mary Margaret questioned, trying to remember the details of it but coming up foggy. Emma snorted - that was one thing to call them.

"I told him that, but he said that just because we haven't heard of them before, doesn't mean that John Doe isn't familiar with them. Sometimes I don't think he's taking this whole thing seriously, but then I see the way that he looks at Henry and the way that he acts around him when they doing Operation Cobra stuff, and I think that he's just as clueless as the rest of us. Neal is great with the kids but he's never had to deal with something like this, he's worried that he'll do something wrong and Henry will never trust him again." Emma confided in her, with a sad sigh. "He's scared of becoming like his dad."

Mary Margaret frowned. "Was his dad horrible, then?" she asked curiously, taking a sip of her cocoa while Emma did the same with her.

"From what I've heard, it was lucky that Neal ended up in the system or he would've turned into a complete psychopath."

"Should my ears be burning?" Neal asked, his tone joking as he studied them suspiciously. He had seen them watching him and whispering to each other quietly - he worried about how they would be when they found out they were mother and daughter. If they ever did take up Mary Margaret's offer of the spare room, perhaps it would be easier to find their own place _before_ the curse breaks - he can sense that he is likely to be on the recieving end of some mother-daughter plotting in the near future; even worse so when Clara's old enough to understand. Neal shivered at the thought - three generations of Princesses.

Emma just smirked. "Well, they're big enough to keep the rest of your head warm, so I hope so." She said, filling the room with giggles.

...

Later that evening, Mary Margaret fidgeted awkwardly as she sat on the edge of John Doe's bed, the book of fairy tales resting on her lap. She took a deep breath before looking at the coma patient, blushing when her heart fluttered uncontrollably. She shook her head, trying to clear it before turning her attention on the mysterious man.

"Look, I know this is odd," she said quietly. "But I'm doing to for a friend. So, please, just bear with me."

And, with that, she opened the book and turned to the story of Snow White, and began to read.

...

"Thanks for the shirt." Emma said as she sat back down at the booth of the diner, actually praising the fact that she had a stubborn husband, for once in her life. Neal, having been determined for them to stay for more than Emma had intended, had packed all of their clothes for atleast a week. And, as she was just as stubborn, if not worse, she had unpacked all of her clothes just as quickly, leaving herself with only the clothes on her back. She ignored Neal's pointed look, as she flattened the silk shirt, which seemed very familiar, and turned to Henry. "Hey, is this your mother's?" she asked warily.

Henry just smiled. "She'll never notice."

"It looks better on you anyway." Neal smirked, sending his wife a wink. Teddy and Henry voiced their protests as she smirked back before leaning over to kiss him.

"Are they always like that?" Henry asked his brother, who nodded with a groan.

"Where does she think you are, kid?" Neal asked Henry, completely unconcerned about the look of digust on the ten year old's face. He would get used to them, eventually.

"Playing Whac-A-Mole."

Neal snorted. "And she brought that?"

"She wants to believe it, so she does."

"Oh, imagine that." Emma muttered as Mary Margaret walked into the diner, a strange expression on her face. Henry and Teddy jumped up excitedly.

"She's here!" Teddy exclaimed, as he was forced to sit back down his seat rather than stand on it, by his father. Although, Neal was just as interested to hear whether last night had been a succes as his son's where.

"Hey, don't get your hopes up." Emma said softly - worried about their reactions when they heard that Henry's plan hadn't worked - as the teacher walked over to them. "We're just getting started, okay?"

Mary Margaret sat down. She was silent for a moment before she spoke, "He woke up." She said, sounding just as stunned as Emma felt hearing those words leave her friend's lips.

Emma and Neal stared at her for a moment before Neal smiled widely and Emma blurted out, "What?"

"I knew it!" Henry said happily, turning to his little brother. "Did you hear that, Teddy? He woke up!"

"Prince Charmings alive!" Teddy cheered, happily.

"I mean, he didn't 'wake up' wake up, but he grabbed my hand." Mary Margaret admitted.

"Does that mean he's remembering?" Teddy asked his dad, his eyes wide due to his excitement. Neal truly hoped so - he needed protection from the soon-to-be three Princess. After all, having a Prince for back-up should be enough to warn them off. He hoped.

"Looks like it, bud." He murmured quietly to the boy, sharing his son's enthusiasm. Emma heard him anyway and sent him a stern look, which he ignored.

Emma turned her attention back to Mary Margaret, who had a look of wonderment on her face - as if she had witnessed a miracle. Which, in a way, Emma supposed she believed that she had. "What did the Doctor say?" Emma asked.

"That I imagined it, but I'm not crazy. I know it happened." Mary Margaret insisted, hoping that her friends wouldn't follow Doctor Whale's example and think she had been imagining things. She sighed when she saw the doubt in Emma's eyes, though she had expected it from her anyway.

"We have to go back." Henry decided firmly. "You have to read to him again."

"Yeah," Teddy nodded, "and then Prince Charming will wake up for good."

Mary Margaret nodded in agreement. "Let's go." She said, more than happy to return to the hospital. Just for that moment, she had thought he was waking up, and she had felt the crushing disappointment when Doctor Whale told her that he wasn't. Maybe Henry was right, maybe this would help.

Emma stayed in her seat as the rest of them stood up and got ready to leave the diner. "Wait, wait, what?" she blurted out, confused as to what was happening. Neal didn't hear her, having been busy getting Clara's stuff ready while listening to Henry and Teddy babble away excitedly. Mary Margaret, on the other hand, sat back down and smiled.

"If I got through to him, if we made a connection - "

"You don't believe - "

"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not." Mary Margaret said dismissively, rolling her eyes. "Somehow, some way, I touched him."

Emma felt like her plan was backfiring, and she was the only one who was bothered about it. She really didn't want to play along with this fantasy, but she found herself going with them to the hospital when both Teddy and Henry (and Neal, but his didn't really work) gave her puppy dogs eyes when she had gone to protest. Her interest peaking when they reached John Doe's room to find it surrounded by medical staff, so much in fact that they were unable to see the bed itself.

"You're right - he's waking up!" Henry said excitedly, rushing forward to try and get a better view but was stopped by the Sheriff, who caught him by the shoulders on his way over to them and pulled the boy gently along with him.

"Henry, you should stay back." He said firmly, his brow furrowing in concern, as they reached the Cassidy's and Mary Margaret.

"What's going on?" Neal asked, daring to believe that Prince Charming was, indeed, awake, and what that could possibly mean for them from now on. Maybe he would have his memories from before the curse, and they would have an ally when it came to trying to get Emma to break the curse. Oh God, was he about to meet his father-in-law, who will actually know that he was part of the family? He'd never had to face the wrath of Emma's father - something he had been thankful for before - and he knew that, once Charming found out everything that Neal had done to wrong Emma before, Neal was going to be in trouble. It's a good thing he had learnt how to sword fight due to his time on Neverland. "Is he alright?"

Graham sighed heavily. "He's missing."

The group looked at the room, finally able to see the empty bed which John Doe had once resided onto twelve hours previously. They all stiffened when they finally caught sight of Regina standing next to the empty bed, her eyes narrowing when she saw them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded when she had reached them. Her dangerously deadly gaze turned to Henry, who squared his shoulders, looking her dead in the eye as if he gaze had no effect on him whatsoever. Neal almost smiled proudly, before he stopped himself - that wouldn't go down well with the, already pissed off, Mayor. "And you, I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"

"Takes one to know one." Neal muttered to himself, knowing that she had lied to Henry his entire life. Henry had told him that Regina hadn't explained that he was adopted until he was seven, and the woman had invented an entire different backstory for Henry to make him believe that he was completely hers, including stories about his 'dad' who had died before he was before, Daniel.

Mary Margaret, who usually turned timid when she was in the presence of the Mayor, looked her dead in the eye. "What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?" she asked.

"We don't know yet." Graham answered for her. "His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there was a struggle."

"What did you do?" Henry glared at his adopted mother, whose eyes widened. Neal automatically placed his hands on his boy's shoulders protectively, making Regina's glare intensify. She glared at him as if trying to burn a hole through his head, but he stared back blankly. He had faced worst monsters than the 'Evil Queen' and had lived to tell the tale. If she was trying to scare him, she needed to do something worse than give him dirty looks.

The stare out last only a few seconds before she turned back to Henry. "You think I had something to do with this?" she asked incredulously, but with also a hint of sadness in her voice that _almost_ made Neal feel sorry for the woman.

"It is curious that the Mayor is here." Emma agreed, eyeing the dark haired woman mistrustfully.

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact." She snapped back.

"So, you know him?" Neal asked.

"I found him." Regina corrected. "On the side of the road, years ago, with no ID. I brought him here."

"Mayor Mills saved his life." Doctor Whale piped in, making Regina stand a little taller. Neal rolled his eyes, remembering his father doing pretty much the same thing after he became the Dark One and he had rescued all of the children from the Ogre wars. That self-rightousness which he seemed to believed over-wrote all of the bad things he did in the months that passed after. Atleast his father's actually happened, and wasn't due to some curse.

"Will he be okay?" Mary Margaret asked, making Doctor Whale scoff. Emma and Neal glared at the man, who was looking at their friend mockingly. Mary Margaret flushed when she saw both Doctor Whale and Regina sneering at her, when she felt a small hand slip into hers; she looked down and her heart warmed when she saw Teddy glaring defiantly at the couple.

Whale sighed heavily, acting asif he was talking to a child. "Okay? The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream."

"Is Prince Charming going to die?" Teddy asked quietly, his little eyes widening and his voice shaking. Mary Margaret's hand tightened around the little boys, and she rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand comfortingly.

"Cheers, Doc." Neal snapped, picking up his son and rubbing his back comfortingly as Teddy clung onto his father, his hand still gripping onto the teacher's fingers - she smiled at him over Neal's shoulder. Neal held him closer to his chest when he saw Regina eyeing him. "Rather than acting all doom and gloom, perhaps we should start looking." He snapped.

Regina rolled her eyes. "That's what we're doing. Just stay out of this. And, since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm going to have to keep my son away from you." She reached forwards and grabbed Henry's arm roughly. She sneered at Emma in distaste. "Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe - you heard Doctor Whale, time is previous."

"Doctor," Graham turned to Whale after Regina had left with a reluctant Henry in tow. Neal stared after him, seeing the way he was dragging his heels across the floor, and how Regina was practically pulling him down the hall. He hated watching his son walk away, especially with _that_ woman, but he reluctantly brought his attention back onto the matter at hand. "How long between your rounds since you last saw him?" the Sheriff asked.

Whale shrugged. "Twelve hours or so."

"Then that's what we need to account for."

...

2001, December - Seattle

"Emma! Emma! Emmmmmaaaa!"

"What?!" Emma snapped, spinning around to face him, her eyes blazing as she stared him down in the middle of the street. Passers-by - who had been becoming increasingly annoyed by the strange man following Emma over the past several blocks, calling out her name repeatedly - gave a wide birth from the deranged looking woman, their own eyes widening at the sight as they hurried along.

Emma had thought that she had gotten away from Neal when she had disappeared in the middle of the night, easily passing by Neal's car parked outside the motel since he had been passed out in the front seat. She had been in Seattle for a little over two weeks and had started to relax, until she had opened the door one morning and found Neal standing on the doorstep, a wide, relieved smile on his face when he saw that it was her on the other side. She couldn't understand what Neal's deal was; why couldn't he leave her alone?

"Well, you haven't gone deaf since I last saw you." Neal mused, unconcerned by the looks that she was giving him - most men would seriously worry about their health if faced with this woman. Neal liked to think that he was confident in their love that she would never actually hurt him... not really, anyway. Emma took a deep breath before she turned on her heel and started walking again. Neal sighed heavily, before running around her, preventing her from walking any further.

"As much as I appreciate the exercise," he said, placing his hands out, palms facing her as an attempt to show her that he didn't want any trouble. "We really need to talk."

"I don't think so." Emma snapped.

"Well, I do."

"Well, that's tough."

"I need to explain." Neal tried again, side stepping when Emma tried to move past him. Emma glared hatefully. "It was never my intention to hurt you, and I'm so, so, sorry. I wish I can take it back."

Emma laughed bitterly. "That's the thing, you can't." She said, managing to move around him quickly, before he could stop her. Neal, feeling more desperate by every passing second, followed after her, pleading with her to understand.

"There are no excuses for hurting you. But I was desperate." He tried. "I was all ready to sell the watches and meet up with you so that we could start our lives again, so that we could have our Tallahassee. I wanted that fresh start; I still do." Emma continued walking, speeding up to the point where she would be running if she had been going any further, as she tried to get away from him. "I found out that my father was looking for me." He finally admitted, and Emma stopped abruptly. Neal held his breath as she turned to look at him, her eyes narrowed. He let it out shakily. "When I went to sell the watches, I bumped into someone who knew about us and he told me that my dad was... in Portland, and he was looking for me. You don't know him, Emma. He is a really bad guy, I'm talking insane, kind of bad." Neal shivered, remembering the crazed look in his father's eyes as he inflicted pain on others, particularly the people who broke his deal. The heartless, unremorseful way he dealt with things. "I couldn't see him, Emma, I really couldn't. I couldn't go back to that and relive all of that... misery. He abandoned me, and then he just decided to pop over for a visit. I needed to get away and... I needed to make sure that there was nothing tying me down."

Neal was met with silence for a long moment before the next thing Neal heard was a loud crack, followed by a sharp pain on his cheek. His head snapped to the side and Neal wondered if he was going to get whiplash. He turned back to Emma slowly, his chest tightening when he saw her eyes welling up with tears.

"How dare you." Emma hissed.

Neal closed his eyes for a moment before he spoke, "Emma - "

"How dare you!" Emma yelled, ignoring the fact that they were in the middle of the street, and that people were watching as if they were watching a soap opera. It wasn't far off - except for all of the curses, and the Evil Queens, etc. "I was sent to prison for eleven months, taking the rap for _you_ , and you're excuse is that you had daddy issues. I would give anything to see my parents; to finally get to meet them and speak to them, having them in my life and the reason you ditched me is because you 'couldn't go back there'."

"You don't know him."

"No, I don't. And, even if you were so desperate to get out of Portland, I was willing to go with you. If you had just told me, I would've gone at a different time if it meant that I didn't slow you down. But, instead of that, you decide to have my arrested. To send me to jail for something I didn't do, while you get off scott free. And _that_ is your excuse..." Emma was openly crying now, and didn't appear to care. All Neal wanted to do was hug her, comfort her in any way that he could but, when he reached out to her, she backed away several steps. "No! Don't touch me! Stay away from me!"

Neal blinked hard, trying to see through the tears gathering in his eyes. "Emma, please." He pleaded, but Emma shook her head.

"Stay away from me." She said. "I don't want anything to do with you ever again. As far as I'm concerned, 'I can't go back there'." She mocked. She gave him one last look before turning on her heel once more. Neal didn't follow her this time.

...

"You were the only employees on the floor last night." Graham spoke calmly to the two men in the security room; who Neal deducted were two of the seven swarves - Leroy was quite obviously Grumpy and, with the amount his was yawning, Walter was clearly Sleepy. They were both shifting sheepishly, guilt clear on Walter's face while indifference was on Leroy's. "And you saw nothing."

"Not a thing." Walter said, focusing solely on the CCTV footage rather than them. Nothing was happening on the footage - the ward was completely empty save for the patients, all of whom were fast asleep. It didn't show John Doe leaving his room; it didn't show him at all. Something didn't sit right with Neal, though, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Did anyone walk by?" Emma asked, clearly not believing that a man, who had spent who-knows how many years in a coma, could walk out as if there was nothing wrong; with nobody seeing a thing.

Leroy shrugged. "I didn't see nothin'." He said from his place leaning against the wall.

Graham sighed, turning to Mary Margaret, who was biting on her lip nervously. "Miss Blanchard, was there anything unusual you saw during your trip with your class?" he asked the teacher, who shook her head with a frown. Neal perked up at that, remembering the state of the room when they had arrived to find out that John Doe was missing - it had looked completely different than the image on the screen now.

"I don't think so."

"Hold on a sec." Neal frowned, peering over Walter's shoulder at the screen, seeing no sign of the kids decorations hanging from the ceilings. The kids had gone all out, making the room as festive as possible in an attempt to bring some cheer to the patients. The room, now that he looked at it, seemed bare without them. "This is the wrong tape. The ward should have all of the decorations that Henry's class made, but there aren't any."

"You feel asleep again." Leroy snapped accusingly at his friend, who's eyes widened in betrayal.

"Your selling me out?"

"I ain't getting fired for this!"

"At least I don't drink on the job!"

"Gentlemen, enough." Graham ordered firmly, looking between the two of them disapprovingly while glancing at Teddy and Clara, who had lost interest since no one seemed to know where Prince Charming was yet. "Where's the real tape?"

Walter hesitated before grabbing another tape from his side silently. The tape was put on and the group watched as John Doe, clearly confused, stumbling through the ward and out of the door at the side.

Mary Margaret sighed in relief, her worst fears of him being taken disproved. "He walked out alone. He's okay."

"I'm not quite sure about that." Neal muttered, wandering how much danger a confused, desperate man could put himself in, especially when he isn't aware of everything that's going on around him. He didn't know Storybrooke. And he either had his memories of the Enchanted Forest and would be confused as to where they were and fearful for his wife and 'newborn' daughter, or he would have no memories at all.

"Four hours ago. Where does this door lead?" Emma asked Graham and the two dwarves, all of who grimaced.

"The woods."

...

"What is it?" Emma asked when Graham stopped walking suddenly. They had been tracking through the woods for a few hours now, having dropped Teddy and Clara off at Granny's, and were no closer to finding John Doe as they would've hoped for.

"The trail runs out here." Graham told them grimly.

"And here I thought tracking was one of your skills." Neal said teasingly, trying to lighten the mood and take his mind off what could have happened to Emma's father in the time that he's been missing.

Graham rolled his eyes at him. "Just give me a second. This is my world. I've got it."

"Right."

"What does he mean, 'His world'?" Mary Margaret asked Emma when the Sheriff walked away, looking closely at the ground. "Isn't finding people your thing, too?"

"Sure." Emma nodded. "Just, people I find usually run for places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods."

"Which is stupid, when you think about it." Neal commented as he looked around the woods; he still wasn't sure how to feel about it. The last time he had found himself walking through the woods was when he had been on Neverland - between that and the Enchanted Forest, he didn't have many pleasant memories of these places, despite calling it home for most of his childhood. Despite that, he would know how to survive in one if he needed to. He would be able to survive for years in a large forest if he needed to, he had all the basic skills; hunting, tracking, using the stars to navigate where he was (thanks to Hook), etc. And, while it would be an adjustment to go back to how he used to live compared to how he lived in the world without magic, Neal knew that once he got used to it, he would get back into it like riding a bike. "If there are people after you, this would be the best place to hide because no one would be able to find you. There aren't many law enforcement who know how to track through the woods, present company excluded." He nodded to Graham, who had peered over his shoulder at him when he had heard that last comment.

"At least I'll have an idea of where to find you if you ever run off." Emma smirked, eyeing him playfully.

"That's an interesting job, though - finding people. How'd you fall into it?" Mary Margaret asked curiously. Emma bit her lip. Neal went quiet, knowing that - if Emma was actually going to reveal a little bit about herself - then it needed to be her decision and not hit. Emma had searched for her family for years after she had been releasted from prison, feeling more confident about it with Neal at her side, but had come up with nothing. While she didn't find her family, when they got back together after the time they spent apart when leaving Tallahassee, Emma had found her calling when she had been asked by their then-neighbour to help her find her husband who had skipped bail. Emma had been hunting them ever since.

Emma shrugged, avoiding the woman's gaze. "Looking for people is just what I've done. As long as I can remember."

"What made you start? Your parents?" Mary Margaret asked, making both Neal and Emma look at her. She smiled sympathetically. "Henry told me that you... That you were from a similiar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?" she asked Emma carefully.

Yes, Neal thought to himself. Emma chuckled slightly. "Depends who you ask." She said, and they all jumped when they heard a crack from behind them. They spun around; Emma and Neal's eyes widened when they saw Henry walking down the hill towards them, Teddy's hand tightly within his own. The younger boy was wrapped in so many layers, Neal wasn't quite sure how he was able to move properly - Henry, who had taken on the big brother role like a duck took to water, had clearly tried to ensure that Teddy was wrapped up warm for the cold night. Despite Neal's anger at the two of them wandering around the woods on their own, he almost smiled at the protectiveness Henry kept showing Teddy as he held onto his hand tightly, and kept glancing at him every now and then to check that he was okay. It was like the two of them had never been apart.

"Henry!" Neal exclaimed.

"Did you find him yet?" Henry asked, as the two of them came to a stop in front of them, completely oblivious to the adults expressions.

"No, not yet." Emma frowned at them. "You two shouldn't be here. Did you pick Teddy up from Granny's? Does she know that he's missing?"

"He saw me walking down the street and followed me. I stopped by at your room and picked up some clothes for him, though, so he's fine. We can help. We worked out where he's going." He said, not answering Emma's question about Granny. Well, Neal thought ironically, if they weren't already in trouble with him and Emma (and Regina, when she found out that Henry was gone), they sure would be with Granny when they got back.

"And where's that?" Mary Margaret asked, tilting her head to the side.

"He's looking for you." Teddy replied, as if it should be obvious. Mary Margaret's eyes widened when Graham, Neal and Emma looked at her before turning their attention back to the children. Mary Margaret took a deep breath

"Right, come on you two." Neal said, walking over to them. "I'm taking you home."

"We can't go." Henry protested.

"We need to help you find Prince Charming." Teddy agreed, backing up into his big brother. Neal's heart melted at that moment but he shook his head firmly.

"You're going home. It's too dangerous for you to be here. There are wolves and bears in the woods."

"Actually, there isn't." Graham told him quietly, making Neal frown.

"There isn't?"

"No."

"What kind of forest is this?"

"Are we going or what?" Teddy asked, pulling Henry in the direction that Graham had been leading them in. The adults shared a glance before following after them, Graham speeding up so that he was ahead of the kids, and able to continue tracking the missing patient.

"You're the one who woke him up." Henry continued to try and convince Mary Margaret that John Doe was looking for her, even half an hour after they had first arrived. "You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!"

Mary Margaret sighed, smiling at him sadly. "Henry, it's not about me. I just... I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma for a long time."

"But he loves you!" Teddy said firmly, looking up at her wide eyed.

Henry nodded his head in agreement. "You need to stop chasing him, and let him find you."

"Kid." Emma sighed heavily, seeing the lost expression on Mary Margaret's face. "You need to go home. Where's you mom? She's going to kill me, and then you... and then me again."

"That's not even getting into how many times she's going to kill me." Neal muttered. Regina had an instant dislike to both Emma and Neal, however, with Neal it was almost like she _hated_ him, like he had done something to seriously offend her (besides being the biologically father of her adopted son) and she was desperate to get rid of him, perhaps (at times) even more than Emma. Neal wondered if, subconsciously, she saw a bit of his father in him - it had become clear that Regina and Mr Gold weren't exactly friends, and that was after only being in the town for a few days. Neal wondered how much more Regina would hate him if it ever came out that he was the son of Rumpelstiltskin.

Henry shrugged. "She dropped me at the house. Then went right out." He said simply, as if that was the usual thing that happened.

"Well, we need to get you back." Neal told him, determined that he was going to get the boys home, despite knowing that neither one of them would be willing and he would probably be in the dog house for a long time before they forgave him. It was better than them getting hurt in the woods. He could drag them home; but he had a feeling that that would only work with Teddy and Henry would be able to get away, and there was no way that Emma was going to leave Mary Margaret and Graham to find John Doe on their own.

"No!"

"Guys!" Graham called over to him. He turned on his heel and held up John Doe's hospital bracelet, which was covered in -

"Is that..." Mary Margaret trailed off, her eyes wide in horror.

"Blood." Emma whispered, dread sinking into her stomache as she glanced back at her sons, wondering what it would take to get them to leave - she couldn't imagine the state that they would find the coma patient in, she just hoped that it wouldn't traumatise the boys.

...

2001, 24th December - Seattle

Neal felt numb - he literally couldn't feel anything. He had been standing outside Emma's hotel room for over fourteen hours and hadn't moved once, even when it had started snowing. It was Christmas Eve and Seattle was most definitely in for a white Christmas this year. Neal was starving, desperate for the toilet, the aching over his joints had disappeared thanks to the fact that he was frozen in the position that he was in now. But he knew that he couldn't give up; if he did, he was going to lose her forever. So, there he stood, unmoving - partly to do with determination, and partly because he didn't trust his body to move a muscle without him ending up face first on the pavement.

It had been a week since Neal had followed Emma to Seattle; the image of her face, the look in her eyes and the sound of her voice as she screeched at him in the streets were still very clear in Neal's mind, and made him feel like the worst person in the world. But all of that was better than the stony silence he had been recieving ever since. No matter how much he tried to talk to her - no matter what he said - Emma pretended that he wasn't even there. If Neal didn't know any better, he would've been worried that he was in a 'Sixth Sense' situation. Emma was stubborn, but so was he.

Neal stood up straighter when the door of Emma's motel room opened and she poked her head out, glancing at him intently before she opened the door wider, standing back to let him in. Neal hesitated for a moment, wondering whether she was truly letting him in or if, in his subconcious, he was imagining things to help him getting through the sharp pains he was now feeling in his legs, the agonising numbness of his toes and fingers. Carefully, as if unsure of whether he would be able to hold his own weight, Neal walked forwards anyway, passing the snow covered yellow bug on his way. Emma didn't say anything as he walked past her, never taking her eyes off him as he let out a breath of relief when feeling the warm air hitting his face, before she closed to the door behind him.

...

"Where is he? Can you see him?" Mary Margaret asked frantically as they reached the toll bridge, her panic having been growing since they found the blood covered hospital bracelet - no matter how much he and Emma tried to tell her that he could've just cut himself on one of the branches. There was hope that that was what happened, but Mary Margaret couldn't stop herself from thinking the worst and, with the way Neal and Emma were hovering around Teddy and Henry, she knew that they were thinking the same thing, no matter what they said.

"The trail dies at the water line." Graham told her, just as anxious, as the four of them shone their flashlights over the surrounding area, looking for any sight of the missing man. Henry and Teddy squinted from their positions next to Emma and Neal, trying to spot their grandfather themselves.

"Oh my god!" Mary Margaret gasped, her gaze stopping on John Doe, who was lying face down in the water, completely unresponsive. She ran over to him without a second thought. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"

"Neal." Emma gasped, her eyes wide as she watched Mary Margaret and Graham pulling the man out of the water. She glanced down at Henry and Teddy, who were watching the scene with wide eyes.

Neal snapped out of his shock. "Boys, don't look. Come on." Neal said gently, pulling both boys around so that they were practically hiding in his and Emma's fronts, unable to look at the scene before them as Mary Margaret started giving the man CPR, trying desperately to save his life.

"Help's coming." Neal heard Graham say, coming off his radio as Mary Margaret continued giving compressions.

"Is he okay? Is he going to be okay?" Henry asked shakily.

"Daddy?" Teddy cried, gripping onto Neal tightly.

Emma and Neal couldn't answer them; it wasn't looking good as Mary Margaret continued pounding on the man's chest - with a surprising amount of force - with no results.

"Come back to us. Come back to me." Mary Margaret whispered, tearfully. She stopped breathing herself when John Doe began to cough up water. She didn't let go of her breath until water stopped flowing from his mouth and he looked up at her, blinking owlishly to try and gain some focus.

"You saved me." He gasped, and she smiled back happily.

"She did it." Henry said, a slow smile appearing on his face. He turned to Teddy, who hadn't quite caught upto the same conclusion and was still sobbing. "Teddy! She did it! She woke him up." He told the younger boy, making Teddy instantly stop. He peered back cautiously, to check that Henry was telling him the truth, before a smile appeared on his face as well.

"He's okay!"

"Yeah, kid. He is." Emma breathed, relaxing. She and Neal shared a relieved smile as their grips on the two boys loosened now that they knew they weren't going to witness a man's death.

"Thank you." John Doe told Mary Margaret, smiling up at her. Neal looked away from them, knowing that this was the first time they had spoken to each other in the past twenty-eight years and felt like he was intruding.

"Who are you?" the woman asked him, but he instant frowned, his gaze turning off to the side as he thought. Neal, Henry and Teddy waited, wanting to hear his answer themselves, but was felt disappointed when he finally spoke.

"I don't know." The Prince turned coma patient admitted, his tone rising slightly as he came to that conclusion. Mary Margaret held him tightly to her, protectively.

"It's okay." She told him softly, "You're going to be okay."

...

Mary Margaret stared into the room through the glass barrier, her heart twinging painfully as she watched the man who she felt so connected too, gazing confusedly at - who the Mayor claimed was - his wife.

"His name is David Nolan." Regina explained to Graham, Neal and Emma behind her, two of which were staring at her suspiciously. Neal, who knew that this was all made up and Regina was trying to hurt Mary Margaret more than she had already done, felt an intense urge to throttle the woman - maybe then the curse would break - but he resisted. He wasn't going to give in to his 'inner darkness' as Archie Hopper liked to put it, he wasn't about to become his father, despite death being the least that Regina deserved for all of the hurt and heartache she had caused his family, old and new. "And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face... well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood." She turned her eyes to Henry, who was sitting on one of the chairs, his arm around Teddy who shrunk back against him fearfully when he caught Regina's eyes. Teddy was terified of the woman before him, knowing full well who she was and what she was capable of. Henry rubbed his arm comfortingly. "We'll talk about your insubordination later. Do you know what insubordination means?" Henry shook his head. "It means you're grounded."

"It doesn't actually mean that." Neal denied, trying to lighten the mood a little, as the blonde woman walked out of her 'husbands' hospital room, smiling at them tearfully.

"Thank you." She said to them, who voice so full of relieve and happiness that Neal could almost believe the story. Regina had done a number on this woman, who seemed to clearly think that she was deeply in love with this man. "Thank you for finding my David."

"Um, I don't understand." Mary Margaret admitted, while Emma folded her arms against her chest. Something about this just wasn't adding up for her, it seemed to strange, with the story that Regina was spouting had too many holes. "You didn't... You didn't know that he was here in a coma?" the woman asked, Emma listened intently - that was one of the biggest holes that she had found. There had been no mention of David in Storybrooke before and, surely, in a town like this, there must have been some mention of him in the papers after he was found at the side of the road. Sidney Glass, the editor of the Daily Mirror, had wrote about Emma crashing into the sign almost instantly when they had arrived in Storybrooke - there _must_ have been some mention of him before now.

Kathryn sighed, her brow furrowing. "A few years ago, David and I were not getting along." She admitted, sadly. "It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave, and he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made." At that, Neal and Emma shared a glance, remembering a similiar situation between the two of them eight years ago - the hardest time of both of their lives, and that's including Emma's stint in prison and Neal's time in Canada. But they had found each other again; something Neal had hoped would happen between Snow White and Prince Charming, but, of course, Regina wasn't about to let that happen.

"You didn't go looking for him?" Neal asked, knowing that none of this was true but unable to prove any different. After all, to Kathryn (and possibly David, himself) that _was_ the truth. He glared at Regina, who was too busy smiling slyly at Mary Margaret to notice.

"I assumed he'd left town all this time, and now I know why I never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted to do forever - say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance."

Mary Margaret forced herself to smile. "That's wonderful." She said as Doctor Whale walked out off David's room, a flustered and confused look on his face. Neal, despite his feelings of the man, sympathised. He was more aware of the entire situation than the others (except his sons) and even he was getting overwhelmed by it all.

"Well, it's something of a miracle." He sighed.

"He's okay?" Kathryn asked eagerly, as Mary Margaret opened her mouth to do the same. The latter closed her mouth and in the background silently.

Whale pulled a face. "Physically, he's on the men. His memory is another issue - it may take time, it at all."

"What brought him back?" Mary Margaret asked, fidgeting slightly with the hem of her shirt. Whale shrugged, unable to explain what could possibly have brought the man out of a coma that he had been in for as long as the Doctor could remember.

"That's the time; there's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."

"And he just got up and decided he wanted a walk through the woods." Neal said skeptically.

"He woke up and he was delirious, and his first instinct was to go find something, I guess."

"Someone." Henry corrected quietly, his gaze turning to Mary Margaret, who kept glancing into the room, smiling slightly when she saw David staring back at her curiously.

"Can I see him?" Kathryn asked, making Mary Margaret looked down at the floor awkwardly. He was married. She couldn't watch as the woman, who she had seen frequently around town beforehand, walked back into the room and greeted her husband. It was for that reason, that she didn't see David still peeking at her as he spoke with Kathryn, unable to tear his eyes away from the woman for too long.

Regina, satisfied that the situation was solved (for her atleast), smirked once more before walking for the door. "Henry, let's go." She called over her shoulder. Henry followed before turning on his heel and walking back to his family.

"Wait, my backpack." He called back to his mother, grabbing his backpack off the floor and leaning in to whisper to his teacher. "Don't believe them. You're the one he was looking for."

She sighed. "Henry..."

"He was going to the Toll Bridge. It's like the end of the story."

"Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him."

"No, it's because you belong together." He said firmly.

"Henry." Regina said firmly, forcing the boy to turn away and walked over to the strict woman, who's eyes seemed to be permanently narrowed at her son.

"I'll just be a minute." Emma muttered to Neal, who nodded, turning to Mary Margaret when Emma had disappeared after the smug Mayor.

"Henry's right about one thing, you know." He said, smiling at the woman. "David was looking for you."

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrows. "You don't seriously believe Henry, do you?"

"That he's Prince Charming and was looking for his long love?" Neal questioned. Yes, he wanted to say, but he knew that it wouldn't help the situation, which seemed to be so unresolvable that Neal feared for the moment that Emma broke the curse. But, checking the make sure that Teddy - who had wandered off to the toys in the corner of the waiting room, bored now that Henry was gone - wasn't listening in before he said, "No, I don't. But I think that you got through to him and maybe, just for a moment, he looking for the voice that he had first heard when he had woken up. The voice which had woken him up. He doesn't have any of his memories, so he was looking for something familiar. You."

Mary Margaret thought about that for a moment before she smiled. "It doesn't matter now," she said, looking back into the room and freezing when she met David's eyes. "He's married."

"To a woman he doesn't remember."

"He's still married."

"To a woman he doesn't love."

"It doesn't change anything." Mary Margaret sighed.

Neal sighed as he watched Mary Margaret force her gaze away from the couple in front of her, wondering how much upset and heartbreak everyone was going to endure before Emma broke the curse.

"There's one thing I do know." He told her. "When people are supposed to be together, they usually end up that way."

"Now I know where Henry gets it from." Mary Margaret smiled. Neal, pride in his chest, smiled back weakly.

...

2001, 25th December - Seattle

Emma stared at the man besides her, lying on top of the covers while she lay beneath them, as the light began to stream through the window. She could hardly believe that he was here; when she had been in prison, she had thought that there would be no way that she would ever open her heart to another man only to be hurt as she had been at the time. Still was, in fact. But she had never once considered that Neal would be waiting for her outside the prison. It had been a shock, to say the least. And a part of her, stupidly, had felt a giddy excitement at seeing the man who had hurt her, but also the man that she loved. The man that she still loved, even more so now that she was able to understand him better.

Families had always been a tuboo subject for the months that they were together before they decided to go to Tallahassee. They never spoke about it; her about the countless foster families and group homes and for him, as she had found out during their hours of talking, about the betrayals of his so called family. Emma had learnt more about Neal in that one night than in the close to two years that she had known him. He had told her about the few memories he had before his mother left the family for another man. He had told her about his father gradually getting worse and worse before finally abandoning him in the middle of nowhere, never to be seen again. And he had told her about staying with his step-father for a few weeks before eventually being dumped by him as well. He had even told Emma about the very first foster family that he had, back when he spent some of his childhood in England - though he hadn't told her their names - and the fact that he still considered them more of a family than his own. It didn't get him off the hook, he still had a lot of making up to do and Emma still wasn't sure they would ever be the same again - but she knew now that he had betrayed her because of his fear of his father and having to face that part of his life. Something she could understand, with some of the foster parents she'd had in the past. And, despite all of the resentment and anger that was still lingering under the surface, Emma felt the forgiveness already brewing inside her walled up heart. After all, Neal had left her because he was terrified of his father but had still come back, for her. He had risked the chance of his father finding him in order to get back to her, and that made it hard for her to stay mad at him.

But she knew that a part of her will always be angry at him for what he did, because a part of her would always hate herself for what it lead to. One of the reasons she had been so angry when he had begged her to give him a second chance was because, where was he in August? August 15th, the day Emma's life changed forever. The day she gave up their baby, their little boy, for good. Why couldn't he have been there then? _I can't be a mother,_ she had said, refusing to even look at the wailing baby in the Doctor's arms. But now she was faced with the possibility of the fact that she could. They could've been a family; Neal had talked frequently about starting a family of their own before everything went downhill. He had joked about naming their first child Boonie or Clyde. He would've loved their son, and he would hate her if she ever told him the truth. Although the debate about who did the worst thing would be a very long one; Neal's betrayal was finished, wiped off Emma's records for good by a Judge who had taken pity on her. Emma's on the other hand; if she ever told Neal that she had had his baby, and had given him away, Neal would spend years wondering how he was, whether he was okay, and would wish that he was with them instead. There would be a no way of surviving that and Emma wasn't sure that she could ever let go of his again, after this. She had only just got him back.

So, she wasn't going to tell him. She was going to keep that secret for as long as she possibly could, whether that was for the next eighteen years or the next fifty. She would live with all of the questions, all of the what ifs, so that Neal wouldn't have to. And they could build the future, and the family, that they had talked about - almost as if nothing had ever happened.

...

Later that evening, Mary Margaret opened the door to see the Cassidy family on her doorstep; Neal and Emma looking at her hopeful, while Clara slept on her mother's hip and Teddy - exhausted by the events of the day - swayed slightly from where he stood in front of his parents, only smiling slightly at the woman who had become his friend, their bags at their feet.

"Sorry to bother you so late." Emma said, shifting awkwardly. "Is that spare room still available?"

Mary Margaret, for the first time in hours, smiled happily as she stepped back, letting the family into her apartment, before closing the door behind them.

...

AN: So, what did everyone think? Let me know and I'll answer all, and any questions, you give me in your reviews. Speaking of which...

 **Reviews...**

 **crazyhpcfan -** You're welcome, thanks for reading. I'm glad you like the story so far, and I'm hope this chapter lived upto your expectations.

 **-** Lol, I will do. I'm hoping to try and re-write the first series, at least, and, depending on how I feel about the story when I get there, I might continue onto series two. Thanks for reviewing and I hope you liked this chapter :)

 **fantasylunargirl -** I've had that loads of times ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Wow. Thanks for all of the support for this story so far; I really wasn't expecting for people to like it, especially not right at the beginning, at least. Okay, so 'The Price of Gold' is one of my more better episodes, and the first that we really see Gold in action, which will be interesting with Neal... ;)

Let me know what you think - in case you didn't know, I really like reviews! :)

...

 **The Price of Gold**

"You sure we can be out in the open?" Henry asked warily as the four of them walked down the main street. If an outsider where to look at them - with Emma and Neal walking down the street with their two boys, Emma pushing Clara's brand new stroller - they would assume that they were an ordinary family. Henry had truly adjusted to them being in his live, just as they had in theirs; sometimes Neal forgot that Henry hadn't been with them all of his life. But then there were certain moments, such as; Henry talking about his mom, mentioning something from his childhood, or finding out something about Henry that they hadn't had a clue about before... and Neal was slammed back into reality. Neal loved spending time with his son, and learning all of the new things about him, he loved watching Henry bond with Teddy and Clara, becoming so close that it was almost unbelievable. But sometimes his heart ached with the fact that he had missed out on so much, and the fear that he might miss even more.

"Enough sneaking around." Emma said firmly, her arm around the boy's shoulder. "If your mom has a problem with us walking you to a school bus, I am more than happy to have that chat."

Henry smiled up at her in admiration. "You're brave. We'll need that for Operation Cobra. Speaking of, do you think we need code names?" he asked, making Emma and Neal share a confused glance.

"Isn't 'cobra' our code name?" Neal asked.

"That's the mission. I mean us. I need something to call you." He said, looking between them. Neal raised his eyebrow at Emma when she suddenly looked panic, the underlying question clear for them to see now. So far, Henry had sneaked in the 'Dad' nickname for him, occasionally calling him Neal but mostly calling him Dad, but, with Emma, he always used her name. Neal supposed that it was only natural; he'd been calling Regina 'mom' all of his life, it must be weird for the boy, even as he had already welcomed Emma into his heart as if she should be there regardless, to start calling someone else that aswell. Also, Emma could come across as un-approachable at times, to certain people - maybe Henry had been wary of asking before now. Emma looked away from Henry nervously, trying to think of what to say.

"Oh. Um." She stalled, looking at Neal for help but he could only shrug in response. It had to be Emma's decision. "Why don't you just call me Emma for now?"

Henry thought for a moment before nodding and turning to Neal. Neal smiled at him. "Call me whatever you like, mate." He told him. He loved hearing Henry call him 'Dad'. Every time he felt the same warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest, just as he had when Teddy's first word had been 'dadda'. Henry smiled widely back.

"Okay. Well then, I'll see you later, Emma. Dad." He said before getting onto the bus, leaving them standing on the street. They waved as the bus drove off, not turning their attention away until Henry turned to a friend sitting next to him.

"Why did you say that?" Emma sighed when the bus pulled away. "You know his mom is going to freak if she ever heard him say it."

"He's not an idiot. He hasn't slipped up and said it in front of Regina so far, and he knows not to." Neal replied when Graham suddenly pulled up in front of them, the sirens screeching from his car.

Teddy's eyes widened in delight, and he exclaimed, "COOL!"

"What's with the siren?" Emma asked when the Sheriff got out of the squad car and walked over to them.

Graham shrugged, an easy smile on his face as he put his hands into his pockets. "It's so hard to get your attention."

"Well, you got it." Neal said, glancing down at Teddy, who was practically hanging off Neal's arm in order to see around Graham, his gaze firmly on the squad car. "Are you arresting us again? Do we have time to drop the kids off somewhere?"

Graham shook his head with a warm smile, even as he looked at Neal. Well, Neal thought, that is new. Neal had liked the man from the first moment he had met him; he just gave off a warm vibe, which is strange for someone living inside Regina Mills' pocket. But Graham had always shown a bigger interest in Emma - something Neal was too used to to be offended by. "I'm thanking you, for your help finding that coma patient. We all owe you a depth of gratitude."

"Well, what do we get? Accomodation? Key to the city?" Emma joked.

"How about a job? I could se a couple of deputies." Neal straightened automatically.

"Deal." Neal said instantly, making Emma turn to him with a frown. 'College' she mouthed, to which he shrugged. College, while he wanted to continue, was nothing compared to his family, and getting to know Henry was very much a priority at the moment. He could go back to college later, he'd already missed so much of Henry's life, he wasn't about to miss anymore. "Putting down roots it pretty important right now." He said as an answer, when Graham, looking both happy and surprised, was glancing between the married couple warily, worried he had caused a domestic.

Emma sighed, turning away from Neal. He could see from the way she was angling herself away from him, that he was very much in her bad books. "Thank you, but I have a job."

Graham scoffed, earning himself a glare from the blonde. "As a bail bondsperson? There's not much of that going on here." Graham said, looking pleased both that one of the offers had been taken without needing to add on any pressure and confident that his other offer would be accpeted sooner or later.

"I don't see a lot of sheriffing going on here, either." Emma shot back, still a little offended by his disregard of her job, which she was still very proud of.

"Well, here's your chance to see it up close. There's dental?" Graham added when he saw that he was getting nowhere. For now, anyway. Emma gave him a tight smile and shook her head. "Why don't you think about it? And stay a while. You good to start Monday?" he asked Neal, who nodded.

"Sure."

When Graham was gone, Neal flinched when Emma smacked him on the arm. "Ow! What?!" He exclaimed when she glared at him, pouting as she took Clara's stroller and Teddy with her as she walked back towards Grannys. "What did I do?"

...

"How was your walk with Henry?" Regina asked as she sat down on the spare seat in Granny's. Neal and Emma looked up at her a little startled, having just had a whispered 'debate' over Neal's decision to not go back to college while Clara and Teddy were busy with the puzzles in Granny's children menues. Regina assumed that their startled expressions were due to her knowing their 'secret'. "That's right - I know everything. But relax, I don't mind."

"You don't?" Neal frowned, a little suspicious as to what had changed in less than twelve hours.

Regina shook her head, still smiling pleasantly, a triumphant glint in her eyes as she observed the two of them before her. "No. Because neither of you no longer worry me, Mr Cassidy. You see, I did a little digging into who you both are, and what I found out was quite soothing." She said with a smile. "You two have quite the stormy relationship, don't you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Neal asked, innocently, already having an idea of what she could've uncovered by looking into their pasts.

"You two may look like you have the fairy tale family, and unbreakable relationship, but we all know that isn't true." She looked at Neal calmly. "You weren't there when Henry was born, and despite the fact that the two of you got back together afterwards, you still broke up two years later. Henry needs stability, something neither of you can offer him."

"We got back together less than a year later and have stayed together ever since." Neal pointed out. It had been a time which hadn't been good for either of them, even though neither of them really realised it at the time; it wasn't until they saw each other months after leaving Tallahassee, and each other, that they really knew how much they had missed their lives together. Regina shrugged.

"But then, of course, there's the number seven."

"Seven?" Emma questioned, her stress levels rising the longer this conversation went on.

"It's the number of addressed you've had in the last decade, and that was when the two of you were together. Your longest anywhere was two years. Really, what did you both enjoy so much about Tallahassee?"

"We have actually found somewhere in Storybrooke." Neal told her, earning himself a sarcastic smile.

"I know, with Miss Blanchard. How long is your lease? Oh, wait." Regina said, as if the thought had just hit her. "You don't have one. You see my point? In order for something to grow, it needs roots. And you? Don't have any. People don't change. They only fool themselves into believing they can."

Emma folded her arms and glared at the mayor. "You don't know us."

"No, I think I do. All I ask is, as you carry on your transient life, you think of Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break."

"You'll like that, wouldn't you?" Neal said, having no intention of doing what she said. They did have roots down - or, atleast, they would once he had his way - Henry was one of the four most important things in his life, and he wasn't prepared to give him up for anything. Especially, just because the mayor said so.

Regina shrugged. "It's going to happen anyway. Enjoy your cocoa." She said before getting up, leaving Neal and Emma on the table alone.

"That woman..." Emma fumed, getting up only to spill her cocoa all over her. "Dammit!"

Neal jumped up to help. "Here." He said, grabbing a napkin and trying to help her mop up most of the dark liquid. Emma pulled away from him harshly, her anger finally rising until she couldn't contain it anymore.

"Leave it!" She snapped, making Neal back away instantly. He knew not to keep pushing Emma when she was like this. Emma took the cloth which Ruby offered her and glanced up at her family, freezing when she saw all of them - including Teddy and Clara, who had looked up from their puzzles - watching her aprehensively. She immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry." She told Neal, who nodded quietly. "I shouldn't take it out on you." She sighed heavily, looking back at Ruby. "Do you have a laundry room I can use?" she asked.

Ruby smiled brightly, despite all of the tension. "Mmhmm! In the back, second door on the right."

"Thanks," Emma mumbled, walking in the direction she had pointed out without looking back at her family, feeling a twinge in her chest as she did so. She took her shirt off the moment she entered the laundry room, barely feeling the cold air on her exposed skin as she threw the shirt into the washing machine harshly, before grabbing one of the spare t-shirts off the line and throwing it on. It was only after all of that that she realised that she wasn't alone in the room.

"Oh, no, no, no, no!" The young blonde cried, holding up the pink sheets, looking as if the world was about to end.

"You okay?" Emma frowned. She seemed to be extremely upset for something as simple as a couple of sheets.

"The sheets." The girl said, with tears running down her face. "They're uh... they're pink."

"You try bleach?" Emma asked, as the girl let the sheets fall to the floor and Emma noticed the girl was very clearly pregnant. "Oh." She muttered, turning away awkwardly. Hormones, that explained it. She had never been good with pregnancy after giving Henry away; even her own, she would pray for it to be quick so that it could be over and done with, and she could have her baby. Neal, who wanted to hold onto every moment, didn't understand why she prefered to keep herself busy.

"Last night, I felt contractions and the doctor said that the baby could come any day now." The girl told her. Emma just nodded.

"Well, that's great."

"It's just that, um, when the... when the baby comes, no one thinks that I can do this." The girl continued, making Emma look up, her hands tightening on the washing machine. "No one thinks I can do anything. Maybe they're right."

Emma sighed before turning around to face the girl. "Screw em." She said, not noticing Neal pause outside the laundry room.

The girl looked startled. "What?"

"Screw them." She repeated firmly. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"I was eighteen." Technically, she was seventeen, but that was besides the point. She wasn't far off eighteen.

"When you had a kid?" the girl asked, confused. Emma nodded.

"Yeah. I know what it's like. Everyone loves to tell you what you can and can't do, especially with a kid. But, ultimately, whatever you're considering doing or giving up, the choice is yours."

The girl sighed. "It's not exactly what you might think it is."

"It never is. People are going to tell you who you are your whole life. You just got to punch back and say, 'no, this is who am.' You want people to look at you different? Make them. If you want to change things, you're going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world." She told her. The girl looked at her for a long moment before giving her a small smile and a nod. Emma smiled back before walking out of the door, stopping when she noticed Neal standing in the hall way.

"That was nice of you." He said, nodding to the laundry room as they walked back into the diner to see Ruby entertaining the kids by showing them how to stick a spoon to their nose. The kids giggled insanely, trying to do it themselves. "A personal meaning behind it?"

Emma sighed, turning to him. "I know we said that we were going to stay here for a while, for Henry. I just didn't know we were staying here permanently."

"Who said we were staying permanently?"

"You've got a job."

"You were looking at apartments."

"Because we couldn't stay here if we didn't have anywhere to live."

"And we can't stay here if we don't have any way of supporting ourselves ourselves." Neal pointed out, trying to show that taking up Graham's offer of the job was more logical than stupid, as most of his other decisions seemed to be. "We don't know how long we're going to be here, and we can't keep asking for Mary Margarets help."

"No." Emma shook her head with a sigh. "You took the job because you want to stay here permanently."

"Is that so wrong? Regina's right, we have never stayed anywhere for more than a couple of years. It's not exactly a good show of stability. I've had to transfer college's twice, Teddy has gotten so used to moving that he doesn't bother trying to decorate his room - "

"So this is my fault?!" Emma asked sharply.

"I never..." Neal took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly before he continued. "I never said that, all I'm saying is that it would be nice if we could settle down with our family, including Henry. Even if he lives on the other side of the town."

"What about our lives in Boston?" Emma asked.

"What about them? We don't have friends, there are day care centres and jobs open here for us. What is holding us back?"

"What about college?" Emma pointed out. "You have worked so hard these past three years..."

"And I can go back to it." Neal assured her. "But, to me, it's not much of a priority compared to our family."

Emma stared at him for a moment before looking over at Teddy and Clara, still giggling away even when Ruby had left them to it. "Okay." She sighed, relaxing slightly, "We'll stay."

...

"I know you think otherwise, but I don't enjoy these Saturday city council meetins." Regina said the next day as she put her dark lipstick on, turning to Henry who was sitting at the table reading one of his comics. "Sometimes, they're just unavoidable. Now, you know the rules."

Henry sighed. "Yes, on homework. No, on TV. And stay inside."

"Good boy." Regina smiled, taking Henry's chin in her hand. "Under no circumstance do you leave this house."

"You mean, don't see my family."

Regina's eyes hardened. "They're not your family. They're just some people passing through. Now, do as I say, or there will be consequences. I'll be back at five sharp."

Henry turned back to his comic, waiting until he heard the car back out of the drive before he got up and grabbed his backpack.

...

"Finally." Emma smiled as she looked at the few boxes in Mary Margaret's livingroom. "Teddy, guess who's toys are here!"

"Yay!" Teddy cried, running down the stairs and into the livingroom as fast as his little legs would carry him, looking so adorable in his PJs that Mary Margaret 'awwed'. He looked between the boxes in confusion before his mom pointed out which ones were his. He instantly began picking through it and pulling out his toys, letting out squeals and yells of excitement when he saw them, hugging them tightly - as if he hadn't seen them in years - before dumping them on the floor and moving onto something else.

"He looks so happy." Mary Margaret smiled.

"He's never had to spend a lot of time without his batman boys and Ben 10." Neal chuckled, walking from the kitchen, with his cup of coffee, when there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." He told the women before freezing when he actually opened it and saw his father standing there. He wasn't quite sure how he had done it, but he had managed to avoid his father since seeing him that first night they went to Grannys. Seeing him still gave Neal the same sinking feeling in his stomache that he had always felt when thinking of his father; he was terrified that, one day, his father was going to look at him and realise who he was. And that was the last thing Neal wanted. Neal, becoming aware that he wasn't helping things if he stared at the man like an idiot, tried to keep his expression blank.

"Mr Cassidy." He said pleasantly, completely oblivious to the expression on Neal's face when he had first opened the door.. "Is you wife here?"

Emma got up, having heard her name, and tried to see who was at the door but Neal blocked her from view. "Why do you want to know?" he asked, tense. He didn't want this man anywhere near him, yet alone near his family. It was bad enough that he had been around Henry growing up - albeit from afar.

Mr Gold just continued to smile. "I think that's our business."

"She's my wife. That makes it my business."

"Neal." Emma said softly, placing a hold on the top of his back, noticing how tense her husband actually was as she opened the door wider. She gave him a concerned look before turning back to their visitor.

"Hi," Mr Gold said, holding out his hand. "My name's Mr Gold. We met briefly on your arrival."

"I remember." Emma said, taking his hand and shaking it.

"Good. I have a proposition for you, Mrs Cassidy. I, uh..." he curiously glanced at Neal, who stood protectively next to her, looking more like a bodyguard than her husband. "I need your help. I'm looking for someone."

Emma frowned. "Really? Um..."

"You know what?" Mary Margaret said awkwardly. "I'm going to go jump in the bath." Emma, and a reluctant Neal, moved back when she left to let Mr Gold into the apartment. Neal looked between his father and his children nervously, not happy that this man was so close to Teddy and Clara, even if his father was unaware that they were his blood.

"I have a photo." Mr Gold continued, unconcerned by the family as he took out the security photo. Emma and Neal froze as they recognised the girl from the day before. "Her name is Ashley Boyd. And she's taken something quite valuable of mine."

"So, why don't you just go to the police?" Neal asked. Why did his father want Emma to help rather than the Sheriff, who undoubtedly knew Storybrooke and it's residents a lot more than his wife? What was he trying to gain?

Mr Gold barely glanced at him again before turning back to Emma. "Because, uh..." he said awkwardly. "She's a confused young woman. She's pregnant, alone and scared. I don't want to ruin this young girl's life, but I just want my property returned."

"Which is?" Neal asked. Mr Gold's eyes narrowed.

"I'm asking for _Mrs Cassidy's_ assistance."

"Well, _Mr Cassidy_ will be involved whether you like it or not."

Mr Gold let out a harsh breath but relented. "Well, one of the advantages of you not being the police is discretion. Let's just say it's a precious object and leave it at that."

"When'd you see her last?" Emma asked, looking between Mr Gold and Neal warily, wondering why Neal was being as hostile as he was. She had never seen him react to anyone like he was now; except when Teddy was a baby, he'd had a run in with a man on a motorcycle and had punched the man in the jaw. He'd just told her that it was someone he knew from his past.

"Last night. That's how I got this." Mr Gold lifted up his hair to show the small cut on the side of his head. Neal shifted slightly, the cut was small and didn't need much treatment, but it was still there. Neal turned his eyes away from it, quickly. "It's so unlike her. She was quite wound up. Rambling on and on about changing her life." He said, making Emma look down. "I have no idea what got into her. Mrs Cassidy, Mr Cassidy," he added, looking at Neal, "please help me find her. My only other choice is the police, and I don't think anyone wants to see that baby born in jail now, do they?"

"No, of course not." Emma muttered.

"So, you'll help me, then?"

"We'll help her." Neal said firmly, but Gold was un-offended by Neal's tone. In fact, he seemed to be pleased.

"Grand." He said as the door opened again and Henry walked in.

"Hey. I was thinking we - " Henry finally looked up and froze when he saw that they were with Mr Gold.

"Henry!" Teddy, having heard his brother walk in, dropped his batman and ran over. Neal edged forwards when the five year old ran near to his father but Teddy barely paused near the stranger, and went straight to Henry, wrapping his little arms around Henry's waste.

"Hey, Henry. How are you?" Mr Gold asked brightly as he walked to the door.

"Okay?" he said meekly, studying him quietly, Teddy still in his arms.

"Good. Give my regards to your mother. And, um, good luck." Mr Gold said with a pointed look to Neal and Emma before he left.

"Do you know who that is?" Henry asked as soon as the door closed.

Emma frowned. "Yeah, course I do."

"Who? 'Cause I'm still trying to figure it out."

"I think she meant in reality." Neal told him.

"Henry!" Teddy said happily, pointing over to his pile of toys. "Look what I've got!"

"Wow!" Henry said, looking just as enthusiastic, which seemed to make his little brother's day. Teddy, content that his brother was here - and that he had given him some attention, and was as intereste in his toys as he was - went back to his toys, humming quietly to himself as he began to show Clara, who was more focused on trying to put her foot in her mouth.

"Henry, what are you doing here?" Emma asked. Henry shrugged.

"My mom's gone til five. I thought we could hang out."

"I'd love to." Emma sighed, she would've liked nothing more than to spend the day with her family, especially if it didn't involve the curse and, with Teddy trying desperately to get everyone's attention, she doubted that it would. "But I've got a job to do. You can hang with Neal though."

Neal frowned. "Erm... I'm going with you." He said firmly.

"No, you need to stay here and look after the kids."

"I can do that." Mary Margaret volunteered, having obviously been listening from the bathroom.

Neal gave her a knowing smirk. "How was the bath?" he asked, but was ignored.

"I'll watch the kids, you two go."

Emma sighed. "We can't ask you to do that." She said. She had been trying to find a way of thanking the other woman for giving them a place to stay, and dumping their kids on her didn't seem right.

"One of the perks of having a roommate, is free childcare." Mary Margaret said brightly. Emma, reluctantly, followed after Neal when he left the apartment before she could argue it even further.

...

"Please let me help." Henry pleaded as they walked down the street, having ignored Neal, Emma and Mary Margaret when they tried to convince him to stay at the apartment.

"No!" Both Neal and Emma said a little harshly. The last thing Neal wanted was his son in any way involved with the Dark One; it was bad enough that the older man was getting Emma involved in his schemes. It sure didn't take him long.

"It could be dangerous." Emma told the ten year old, who scoffed.

"The pregnant maid is dangerous?"

"She assaulted Mr Gold."

"Cool!" Henry exclaimed, making Neal laugh.

Emma glared at the two of them. "This isn't a game. She's desperate."

"How do you know?" Henry asked, confused.

"Because I know." Was all Emma said in reply. Henry shrugged.

"Well, then, let's find her." He said, walking towards the car.

"Henry! You cannot come with us." Neal said firmly, following after him, ready to drag him back if necessary.

"Then I'll look for her myself." Henry shot back.

"Then we'll find you and bring you back."

"Then you wouldn't be helping them maid." Henry pointed out, making his frustrated parents sigh.

"We're just trying to be responsible, here." Emma sighed, as Henry opened the door of the bug.

"And I'm just trying to spend time with you."

Emma and Neal stared at him, their resolve crumbling. "Oh, that is really not fair." Emma sighed, but the two of them got into the car without pushing for him to go back home again. They knew what it was like, having been desperate to spend time with the boy with Regina making it difficult - had they been doing nothing all day, they would've jumped at the chance of being able to do something as a family.

"Just," Neal sighed, "don't tell Teddy that you helped." Teddy was at the stage where he wanted to be involved in everything Neal and Emma did, especially now that Henry was involved.

"So," Henry began, leaning forwards to speak to them properly. "The maid. What's her story?"

"Well, how many fairy tale characters do you know who are maids?" Neal asked, earning himself a glare from Emma, but it got Henry rapidly going through characters, trying to find out who they are.

...

"So, this boyfriend of hers." Emma said to Ruby, while Henry and Neal held back slightly. "You don't think he was involved in her disappearance?"

Ruby gave her a look which showed that she clearly thought that was a stupid question. "That would mean that he was involved with her at all, which he isn't. He left her in the lurch, right after they found out they were expecting. Hasn't spoken to her since to her since. Like I said - " Ruby cut off when the red car behind them, which was being dropped off by a tow truck, is dropped abruptly. Ruby rushed past them. "Hey! Hey! Hey! Billy, be careful! You almost shattered my wolf thing, Billy. It's good luck."

Billy grimaced. "I'm sorry, Ruby. But look - it's fine." He showed her the wolf charm hanging from the mirror, making her smile.

"Ruby." Neal got involved, trying to keep her attention on her missing friend. "What about her family? Is there anyone she would've gone to?"

"Oh, um, she's got a stepmom and two stepsisters that she doesn't talk to." Ruby said, making Henry's interest pike.

"Wait. Stepmom, stepsisters, _and_ she's a maid?" Henry asked, looking at Emma and Neal pointedly.

"Henry. Not now." Emma sighed in exasperation, while Neal smiled. Made sense when he thought about it.

"Look." Ruby said, turning to them. "I don't know what you've heard, but it's wrong. Everyone thinks she's not ready to have this kid, but she's trying. Taking night classes, trying to better herself. Trying to get her life together. Can you understand that?"

Both Emma and Neal could understand that completely, having tried to do the same themselves, especially after Teddy was born. Having a little one in their life had been extra motivation to do the best to make sure he had everything they didn't; to make their lives better so that his was as well. "I think so." Was all Emma said in reply, her walls preventing her from revealing anything more.

"Then maybe you should just stay out of it. She's been through enough already."

"I've been through it too, Ruby, and I can help her."

Ruby sighed before coming to decision to help them. "Then try her ex."

"Where can we find him?" Neal asked.

...

"Can I help you?" Sean asked, when he answered the door to Emma and Neal - they had managed to get Henry to stay in the car.

"Sean Herman?" Emma checked. Sean nodded.

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"I'm Emma Cassidy, this is my husband, Neal. I'm... I'm looking for Ashley Boyd." Emma said, noticing Sean's eyes widen at the sound of his ex girlfriend's name. "She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she came to see you."

"My son doesn't have anything todo with that girl anymore." An older man said, walking up the drive and past them to get into the house. "So, whatever trouble she's in, I am sorry for her, but there's nothing we can do to help her."

"You're the reason he broke up with her." Neal accused, trying his hardest not to glare at the man. He hated parents who controlled their children's lives, especially when they try and stop them from being parents themselves; after all, it is their blood and they just seem uncaring about it, completely disregarding the child which was their grandchild, as if anything past their own children was not their concern. Neal couldn't understand people who did that. How could you not automatically love the baby when it was a part of your child?

"Absolutely." Mr Herman said, almost sounding proud of it. "I'm not going to let my son throw after his entire life over a mistake."

Emma frowned, looking as disgusted in the man as Neal felt. "So, you just told him to leave her?"

"Well, what are they going to do? Raise the child in the backseat of a car?" Mr Herman snorted, not noticing Neal and Emma share a glance. After Emma had gotten out of prison, they had spent six months living in the bug. Even longer after they had ditched the lives they'd made apart after Tallahassee, and gotten back together. They would've only had the backseat of a car if they had kept and raised Henry.

"Some people only have the backseat of a car." Neal snapped, fully glaring at him now. Mr Herman was indifferent.

"Well, they're to be pitied. I'm not letting that happen to my son."

"Your son is a nineteen year old man who is about to become a father." Neal seethed. "Rather than treating him like a child, perhaps you should be supporting him and helping him and Ashley prepare for the baby. You know, _your grandchild._ Or do you not care what happens to the baby at all?"

"Dad, maybe we should help them look." Sean tried, looking concerned about his ex and unborn child as his father glared at the man on their doorstep.

Mr Herman shot him down instantly. "It's a waste, Sean."

Neal turned to the younger man. "Sean, this is your child we are talking about." Neal told him firmly. "Your baby. Ashley is going to be in some serious trouble if she runs away with the baby."

Sean's eyes widened. "She's running away with the baby?"

"Yes."

"Sean. Inside. Now." Mr Herman snapped. Sean, to Neal's annoyance, did exactly what he was told. Mr Herman turned to them when he was gone. "Look. Believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

Neal's heart dropped. "What deal?" he asked. He knew that nothing good came with his father's deals.

"You don't know? Ashley agreed to give up the child, and she's being paid very well to do so."

Emma's eyes widened, while Neal's hardened. "She sold the baby?" Emma asked, shocked.

"Oh, you make it sound so crass." Mr Herman chuckled.

"That's because it is. Not to mention, completely illegal." Neal hissed, earning himself a glare from the older man.

"I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home." He growled, annoyed that these people couldn't seem to grasp that none of this was his problem. Neal bristled at his tone.

"And who are you to judge whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" Emma asked. Mr Herman looked at her exasperated.

"Look at her." He scoffed. "She's a teenager. She's never shown any evidence of being responsible. How could she possibly know how to be a mother?"

Neal glared at him. "Have you actually met her?"

"No."

"Then who the hell are you to decide that?"

"Maybe she's changing her life." Emma shot at him, when he opened his mouth to defend himself, cutting him off before he could ramble out his excuses.

Mr Herman rolled his eyes. "Everybody says that. Now, look, I found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well. Someone who's going to see to it that everybody's happy."

"Mr Gold." Neal said dryly, having already worked out that his father was the one behind all of this, while Emma sighed heavily as she came to that realisation.

"Well, isn't that why you were hired? To bring him the baby?"

"Aparently." Neal said, turning on his heel and walking back to the car.

...

"You can't make her double cross Gold." Henry said, after they had explained everything to him. He looked aprehensive. "No one's ever broken a deal with him." Neal knew that was most likely true; no one has ever broken a deal with Rumplestiltskin, but Neal knew that he has broken at least one deal before himself. Whether he knew it or not, Mr Gold owed Neal, and even though Neal wasn't going to push that, he sure as hell wasn't going to let his father take a baby away from it's mother.

"I'm happy to be the first." Emma replied, coming to a stop at Granny's diner. "If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother, should damn well be allowed to be one." She said, making Neal and Henry look at her before sharing a knowing glance, before they got out and went into the diner. Neal knew that taking on a case like this was bound to bring back memories for Emma, and how she had decided to let go of Henry.

"Why didn't you tell us she sold the baby?" Emma asked Ruby; more like snapped. Ruby shrugged, unsurprised that they had found out the truth.

"Because I didn't think it was important."

"How could you not think that it was important?" Neal asked, staring at the girl in disbelief. "It's the reason she's running away."

"Look," Ruby sighed, "Ashley's my friend. I don't like people judging her." She said, as she continued with her work. Emma went to follow her but paused when she saw Ruby's wolf charm sitting on the counter.

"Ruby, where's your car?" she asked, but Ruby didn't answer.

"You sent us to Sean's to give us a head start." Neal realised, catching on to what Emma was getting at, noticing Ruby shifting uncomfortably but avoiding looking them in the eye.

"Look, I'm only trying to help her." She defended herself.

"What do you think we're trying to do?" Neal asked, looking at her pleadingly. "Ruby, we don't want that baby to be taken away from her but she is in more trouble than you know. She is going to have to deal with Gold, on her own. Is that what you want? Where is she?"

"I can't talk in front of him." Ruby nodded at Henry, eyeing him suspiciously. "He's the Mayor's kid."

Henry looked offended. "Hey! I'm on your side."

"Henry," Emma turned to him. "I need to find this woman and, in order to do that, I need you to go home, okay?" Henry opened his mouth to protest. "So, please listen to me. Seriously. She's not going to tell me anything if you're around."

Henry looked at Neal, who sighed. "Go home, mate."

"Okay." Henry said reluctantly, slowly walking out of the diner.

"Thank you." Emma muttered, waiting until he was gone before she turned back to Ruby.

"She left town, said she was going to try Boston." Ruby told them. "Thought she could disappear there."

"How long ago did she leave?" Neal asked, feeling nervous as he remembered that Henry said bad things happened to people who tried to leave Storybrooke.

"About a half an hour ago."

...

"Do you think we're going to catch up before she leaves?" Neal asked as they drove towards the town exit.

"Doubt it." Emma shrugged, not as concerned as Neal since she didn't believe Henry's curse theory about the town. She didn't know that Ashley was in more danger than they had first thought, and that she, or the baby, could be seriously hurt right now because Ashley was trying to leave.

"What'd she tell you?" Henry asked, jumping up in the backseat where he had been hidden. Emma and Neal, who nearlly swerved the car, jumped in surprise.

"Henry!" Neal exclaimed, his heart still racing as he turned back to the road.

"What the hell?" Emma yelled, looking around at him wide-eyed. "We're going to Boston. You can't come with us!"

Henry gasped. "You can't go to Boston! She can't leave. Bad things happen to anyone who does." Emma rolled her eyes while Neal sped up ever so slightly.

"I don't have time to argue with you over the curse. We need to get you home. Turn around." She told Neal, who scoffed.

"Not likely. If we drop him off, we'll never catch up to her."

"Neal - "

"And Mr Gold will likely get impatient and call the police." Neal pointed out, glancing at her. "And then she'll go to jail."

Emma hesitated for a moment before sighing. She looked at Henry. "Buckle up." She ordered before muttering to herself, "Ashley, what did you get yourself into?"

They drove in silence until they came closer to the boarder, only to see Ruby's red car along the side of the road.

"I told you! It's her car." Henry exclaimed, as they came to a stop and ran out of the car.

"Ashley!" Emma yelled, running upto the drivers seat, which was empty.

"Ashley, where are you?" Neal called, looking around.

"Down here!" Ashley called back, on the other side of the car. They rush around the car and stop when they see Ashley sitting on the grass, clearly in labor. She looked at them, panicked. "My baby! It's coming!"

They stood there, staring at her, for a long moment before Emma got into action. "Okay, we need to get her in the car. Henry, help me clear out the backseats, Neal, help Ashley."

Neal looked ready to protest as he looked at Ashley, but stopped when he saw the daring look on his wife's face. He almost said 'Yes dear' but knew that it would only get him put further into her bad books. So, instead, he did as he was told.

"Is the baby really coming?" Henry asked, watching Ashley curiously from next to her, barely flinching when she let out a long screech. Both Emma and Neal cringed, memories rushing back. Neal was thankful that Emma hadn't asked him to stay in the back and hold her hand; Emma had actually fractured a bone in his hand when she was giving birth to Clara.

"Ohh yeah." Emma grimaced. "Don't worry, the hospital isn't that far."

Ashley's eyes widened. "No! No, no, no. Take me to Boston. I can't go back there." She pleaded, but Emma chuckled dryly.

"Oh, no, we don't have four hours. Trust me, I know."

"I _did_ tell you." Neal muttered, remembering how it had taken him hours trying to convince Emma to go to the hospital when he waters had broken but she had protested, sure that they had a long way to go and she would rather wait for ages at home rather than at hospital. She eventually gave birth to Teddy in the back of the bug; Neal glanced nervously at Ashley, hoping that they wouldn't need to have another birth on the backseats.

"I can't go back there." Ashley said. "Please. He's going to take my baby!"

Neal's hands tightened around the steering wheel. "We won't let that happen, Ashley." He assured her firmly.

"Do you know what you're asking for?" Emma asked, turning around in her seat. "If you keep this child, are you ready."

Ashley nodded. "Yeah."

"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." Emma said, making Ashley and Henry focus on her. Neal peeked at her from the corner of his eye but focused more on the road in front of him. He knew that she wasn't only refering to Henry - when they had had Teddy, both of them were sure that they were ready, but neither of them were. Neal was more of a nervous wreck, and Emma had taken a while to bond with him; now he knew about Henry, Neal finally understood the reason why.

"You weren't?" Ashley asked, and Emma shook her head.

"Nope. If you want to give this kid it's best chance, it's going to be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is going to chance and once you decide that it's yours, this 'running away' can't happen. You have to grow up and you can't ever leave. Understand?"

Ashley looked at her, before nodding. "Yes. I want my baby."

...

Emma paced in the waiting room while Neal went to get coffee. Henry was watching Emma, as if seeing her in a new light. After a long while, he spoke. "You know, Emma. You're different."

"What's that?" Emma asked, confused at the sudden change in conversation.

"You're the only one who could do it."

"Break the curse? Yes." She sighed. "I know. You keep telling me that." She said but Henry shook his head.

"No. Leave. You, Neal, Teddy and Clara are the only ones who can leave Storybrooke." He said, making Emma shift uncomfortably.

"You left, and came and found us in Boston." She pointed out.

"But I came back. I'm ten - I had no choice. But if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."

"Anyone, except us?"

"You could do whatever you want. You can go." Henry said, as if he was just realising that fact. He sounded so stunned that they weren't, that they were still in Storybrooke with him when they still could be a lot safer away from his mom. Emma stared at him sadly, wishing that he had more self-esteem, but, before she could say anything, a doctor walked over to him.

"Mrs Cassidy, baby is a healthy six pound girl and the mother is doing fine." Emma relaxed, but instantly tensed when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"What lovely news." Mr Gold said. "Excellent work, Mrs Cassidy. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."

When Neal, both cups of coffee in his hands, went to go back to Emma, he froze when he saw his father walking towards him, looking extremely pleased with himself. Neal's hands tightened around the cups.

"I should thank you, Mr Cassidy." Mr Gold said, walking past him to the coffee machine. Neal saw Emma making her way towards them, she stopped when he shook his head and turned towards Mr Gold. "I got my merchandise faster than I had expected."

"Merchandise? Is that what you would call a baby, these days?" Neal sneered, glaring angrily at the man in front of him. "Why didn't you tell us?"

The older man shrugged. "Well because, at the time, you didn't need to know."

"No, you knew we wouldn't help."

"I don't think you wanted to help anyway. I thought it would be more effective if you found out for yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life, I thought it would make sense. I mean, if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you and your wife."

"You're not getting that baby." Neal said firmly.

"Actually, we have an agreement. My agreements are always honoured." Mr Gold told him and Neal felt like screaming at the man; the man who put so many people through so much misery because of his agreements but wasn't able to keep the most important. The one with his son. "If not, I'm going to have to involve the police and that baby is going to end up in the system, and that would be a pity. Your wife didn't enjoy her time in the system, did she, Neal?" he looked at him, a mocking smile (which Neal wanted to punch off) on his face.

"You think you're so untouchable. How would you feel if your child was taken from you?" he asked, watching the man's reaction carefully. Mr Gold's hand tightened around his walking stick, to the point where his knuckles turned white, and eyes burned into Neal.

"If you're trying to make me feel bad, it's not going to work. I am sticking to my agreement."

"You're not taking Ashley's baby."

"I like your confidence. But all I have to do is press charges. She did, after all, break into my shop."

"There is no way the jury would put a young girl in jail because she was desperate to keep her child, and there is no way that contract would be able to stick. Doesn't sound like a normal adoption either, does it, when there is a substantial amount of money involved." Neal protested. "And, who knows what might come out about you in the process of the trial; but both me and Emma will make sure everything you know and love goes down with you."

Mr Gold studied him with a smirk. "I like your fire, Mr Cassidy. You're not afraid of me, and that either cocky or presumptuous. Either way, I'd rather have you on my side." He paused but Neal waited for him to continue, knowing that he was getting to the point of asking what he really wanted. "However, there is still the matter of my agreement with Miss Boyd."

"Tear it up." Neal said instantly. "You must have broken at least one of your deals in your time."

"Never."

"Really?"

Mr Gold's eyes narrowed. "It's not what I do. You see, contracts - deals - well, they the very foundation of all civilized existence. So, I put it to you now. If you and your wife want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

Neal's jaw tightened, so _that_ was what this was about. "You want to make a deal with me?"

"Well, I would've rather it been with your wife, but since you clearly do some much together, I might as well make one with you."

"What do you want?" Neal asked, warily.

Mr Gold smirked wider. "Oh, I don't know just yet. You'll owe me a favour."

"Deal." He said finally, turning and walking over to Emma, who was looking at him curiously.

"What was all that about?" she asked once he'd reached her and Henry.

"He's not going to take Ashley's baby." He told them. Henry lit up and threw his arms around Neal's waste.

"I knew you could do it!" He said happily. Neal smiled and hugged Henry back, while Emma watched them, looking unsure.

"Why?" she asked.

"I made a deal with him." He said, making Henry move back, looking a bit nervous now that he knew what Neal had had to do.

"What sort of deal?" Emma asked sharply. Neal shrugged.

"Don't know. Anyway, heard anything?" he asked. Henry nodded, suddenly enthusiastic.

"She had a baby girl." He told him, as Emma got up.

"Let's go and see her." She suggested, looking far from happy and, from the look she gave him, Neal knew that this conversation wasn't over. He gave her a reassuring smile and took her hand gently before they walked into Ashley's room, hoping that, whatever his father asked of him, wouldn't be too bad. He knew what happened to people who broke his deals and, since he had no intention of revealing who he was to his father, he worried about what Emma would do to avenge his death.

...

"Pumpkin." Emma said suddenly, in the ride home. Henry and Neal turned to her, both confused. She smiled. "My code name. I was thinking, in honour of Cinderella, Pumpkin."

Neal glanced back at Henry, who just shook his head.

"You got a better one in mind, mate?" he asked the boy, who smiled and nodded his head.

"Yep."

Emma waited but Henry never elaborated. "Well?"

"I'm not sure you're ready yet." He told her. Neal smiled, realising exactly what he meant. Emma, on the other hand, frowned in confusion for the rest of the ride to the mayor's house.

"See you later, bud." Neal called from the car when they came to a stop and Henry shot out of the car. Emma got out.

"Henry!" She called after him, making him stop and turn to her. "About what you said at the hospital, about me being able to leave."

"Yeah?"

She smiled at him. "See you tomorrow." She said. Henry smiled and ran off, while Neal smirked at her when she got back into the car.

"So, roots?" he asked as they started to drive back to Mary Margaret's apartment.

Emma glanced at him and rolled her eyes. "Shut up." She muttered, making him laugh as they rode back to Mary Margaret's apartment.

...

AN: So, what did you guys think? Please let me know, I love recieving reviews and, as you can see below, if you have anything that you want to ask, I _do_ reply to reviews :)

 **Reviews...**

 **Ariadna -** Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it :) I agree, I'm looking forward to Neal interacting more with Rumple too, especially when he's trying to keep his identity a secret - the Neal/Baelfire storyline was one of my favourites from the story and, while I liked how Bae turned out to be Emma's first love and Henry's father, I hated the way that they carried out the storyline through series three, and how they eventually ended it. Great minds think alike ;) I already have something planned about Emma's (and others) thoughts on Neal telling his children stories - like his preference on telling his children stories about Snow White, and his dislike in Peter Pan. I hope you continue to like this story as much as you have done already, and thanks for reviewing :)

 **FictionLover12 -** Lol, thank you :) I agree, I wish I had a Teddy, he is just so loveable... I can't reveal too much about what's coming up, though I have a pretty good idea - I'm not avoiding the subject because I'm making it up as I go along, I promise ;) But, since it's already mentioned in this chapter, yes Neal and Emma are deputies.

 **thunderyoshi -** Thanks, I'm glad you're liking it so far :) I hope Neal's reaction to his father is what you hoped - I wasn't sure how people were going to react to have Neal in Storybrooke but not revealing who he is to Gold. They are cute, aren't they :) It's such a relief that everyone seems to like that I've had Emma and Neal have kids. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, as well :)

 **crazyhpcfan -** I'm glad you did, I hope you liked this one as well :) As you can see, not very good... Neal isn't going to agree with a lot that his father does which, unfortunately for Rumple, is only going to make him more determined to keep his identity a secret :/

 **fantasylunargirl -** It certainly does - wish a guy would even consider doing that for me. I'm glad you liked hearing about Emma and Neal's reunion; I'm planning on doing more flashbacks of their life in the ten years between getting back together and Henry turning up.

 **Onceuponlover -** I love hearing people say that - I'm glad you're enjoying it so much and I hope this chapter met your expectations :)

 **-** Thanks, I will ;)

 **Rainbow2.0 -** I'm happy that you loved it :) Hope you liked this chapter as well, please let me know what you think :)


	5. Chapter 5

**That Still Small Voice**

When Emma, Neal and Graham arrived at the site after the apparent earth quake, they had to fight through a crowd of the frantic and gossipy people to try and get to the front. It was only when they managed to get to the front of the crowd that they were able to see what had caused all of the the disruption; they were standing near a mine, which seemed to be in the process of caving in.

"Everyone!" Regina called, trying to push the crowds back. "Step back, please!" Looking as calm and composed as ever, she turned her attention to them when she reached them. Despite being the calmest person there, she also had a slight bit of panic in her eyes as she looked at them. "Sheriff, set up a police perimeter. Marco, why don't you help with the fire department? Mr and Mrs Cassidy," she smiled sarcastically, "this is now official town business. You're free to go."

"We work for the town now." Neal told her simply, making the woman freeze. She narrowed her eyes at Graham, who cringed when he saw her expression. Today was their first day as Deputies, and it was already kicking off - and that was only the Mayor, let alone collapsing mines.

"They're my new deputies." He told her calmly.

She pulled a face, like she was forcing down bile. "They say the Mayor's always last to know." She said, sounding more pleasant than she looked. Graham gave her a slight smile while it took all of Neal's will power to keep himself from smirking at her. Something about this woman made him want to act up; it was like he de-aged ten years just by being in her presence. She just brought out the worst in people, and he wasn't going to give her that satisfaction. Neal knew that the person he was ten years ago - the one who would've happily fought Regina and rubbed her nose in the fact that they weren't going anywhere - wasn't who he wanted to be anymore. That person had hurt Emma, and had lost him the chance of raising his son. He wasn't going to risk losing his family just to be petty against the Evil Queen.

"It's in my budget."

"Indeed." Her eyes were narrowed dangerously as she took a deep breath before turning to Neal and Emma. "Deputies, why don't you make yourself useful and help with crowd control?" she suggested as professionally as she could before stepping back, putting a clear distance between herself and the crowd before she spoke loudly, gaining their attention, "People of Storybrooke," she said, in Mayor mode, and the crowd instantly calmed as they turned to look at her. Even though Neal knew about how evil she was in her previous life, along with in this one too, he and Emma, who was watching with interest, had to admit that she knew how to get things done. "Don't be alarmed. We've always know this area was honeycombed with old mining tunnels. But fear not, I'm going to undertake a project to make this area safe; to rehabilitate it into city use. We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it." She said happily, as she revealed her plan. Neal frowned.

"Pave it?!" Henry exclaimed, having obviously got the same idea as his father, pushing his way through the crowd so that he was standing in front of his mother. Neal and Emma automatically straightened, and turned away from the crowd to watch Henry face off against Regina. "What is there's something down there?" he demanded, glaring at her.

Regina frowned, quickly walking over to him. "Henry. What are you doing here?" she asked in a hushed voice, subconsciously glancing at the crowd behind him to see if anyone was listening.

"What's down there?" he asked, instead, making her frown deepen.

"Nothing. Now step back." She told him firmly, gently pushing him back towards the crowd. "In fact, everyone! Please, please step back. Thank you."

Neal and Emma returned back to controlling the crowd when Henry reluctantly stepped back but continued to watch his mother carefully, his eyes narrowing and his suspicions rising when he saw her bend down a few feet away and pocket something. "What was that?" he ordered accusingly, making Regina sigh heavily.

"Henry, enough. Listen. This is a safety issue. Wait in the car."

Of course, Henry wasn't about to listen; less than ten minutes after being sent to the car by Regina, Henry snuck out, ducking behind a police car. Neal couldn't help but admire his son's persistence, he was as stubborn as his mother when he wanted to be and was as reckless and unconcerned about his own safety as Neal himself seemed to be on many occasions. Neal and Emma, who had been dealing with the crowd - while also keeping an eye on Henry - at the time, instantly went over to him when he guestured for them to join him behind the car. They were then joined by Archie.

"This requires all of Operation Cobra." Henry said seriously once they were all in place.

Archie looked stunned. "I didn't realise I was in Operation Cobra." He said, making Henry roll his eyes, much to his parents amusement.

"Of course you are. You know everything." He said, as if it should be obvious. "We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?"

"They're just some old tunnels." Emma said dismissively, but Neal knew where the ten year old was coming from. Regina could've brought anything she wanted back from the Enchanted Forest; things which she would be less than happy for anyone else in Storybrooke, particularly the savior of all people, to find. She was too intent on her plan to destroy it, and looked to be in a hurry to do so as well. How many other Mayors would have come up with a plan like that, less than ten minutes after the mine had originally started collapsing? It was too suspicious for it to be anything other than Operation Cobra related.

"That just happen to collapse right after you got here? You're changing things, you're weakening the curse." Henry said, Neal stopped himself from nodding. It was pretty obvious that anyone could see the change in the town - which went beyond the town clock starting to work - but Emma wasn't going take kindly to him agreeing against her.

Working on Operation Cobra had been difficult for Neal - he didn't know when to pull back and agree with Emma that enough was enough. Emma, who believed that the entire thing was a dellusion of Henry's, didn't seem to like it when Neal got too involved with the boy's plan to save everyone from the curse. And Neal could see her point; he was a grown man, playing along with his son's fantasy, which could become potentially dangerous for him in the long run. But Neal had never felt so torn in his life - deciding to go back to Emma had been easier than this. Did he focus on helping Emma the best way he could, or helping Henry and Teddy with Operation Cobra, which could lead to Emma pulling away and refusing to listen to a thing any of them said? Even though he knew that Henry's theory was true, it didn't make it any easier. They were in a world where a theory like that was considered crazy, though he would never admit that to Henry - Neal would make things worse if he wasn't subtle about this. And, as much as it killed him to do it, he knew that he had to pull back from Operation Cobra when things started to look less like a game to those looking in from the outside or Emma was going to leave him, and the curse may never be broken. The entire thing could be for nothing. And he didn't want that.

Emma sighed. "That's not what's happening." She denied.

"Yes, it is! Did you do anything different today? Because something made this happen." Both Neal and Emma touched their new deputy badges; Emma had pinned hers on only moments before the earth quake. Emma looked at Neal with a frown before shaking her head - it was ridiculous.

"Henry." Regina snapped, suddenly appearing next to Emma. "I told you to wait in the car." She glared at Neal and Emma, who stared back unflinching. "Deputies, do your jobs."

Neal resisted the urge to salute as he walked off, his mind on the tunnels and what could possibly be in there to make Regina Mills so on edge. Henry was right, there had to be something, but there was no way to prove it and, despite his interest, the mines were too dangerous for him, Emma and the kids to just wander down in a family outing. That would definitely be a situation where he needed to pull back - and force Henry and Teddy to do so too - from Operation Cobra. He wanted Emma to break the curse, simply because he was getting sick of it being a constant thought ever since he'd first met August, but he wasn't prepared for them to risk their lives before it. He wanted these people in Storybrooke, some of whom he had come to care about, to be free from the curse and be able to live their lives without fear of the 'Evil Queen', but his priority was his family. He felt guilty about it but, if his family was in danger, he had no problem taking them out of Storybrooke and moving on elsewhere (even if that meant kidnapping Henry and taking them with them as well). Maybe it would be a good idea to go back to Tallahassee...

...

"I'm the worst person in the world." Mary Margaret said mournfully, staring at her cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon.

Neal frowned. One thing he had found out in the week since moving to Storybrooke was that Mary Margaret was one of the nicest, kindest people on the planet. She cared for everyone, and always considered others feelings above her own. She was almost too good - but perhaps that was his and Emma's cynicism. "I seriously doubt you could be the worst person in the world, Mary Margaret. I've met some of them and you are nowhere close." He told her honestly. Living on the streets had introduced him to a wide range of people - many of whom he would rather never run into again. He can't complain completely; he found his wife through living in the back seat of a car.

But Mary Margaret just sighed in response. "If Kathryn was horrible, it'd be easier, but she's so... nice."

"How dare she." Neal joked, earning himself a small smile from Mary Margaret before it slipped off her face and she returned to staring sadly into her cup. Neal frowned; even though he had only known the woman for a short space of time, he hated the idea of her being sad. Maybe it had something to do with her being his newly found mother-in-law that had made him feel the need to keep her happy - after all, he wanted her to like him when her memories came back and she realised that he was married to (and had repeatedly impregnated) her daughter - or because he was used to her being such a cheerful person any other moment of the day. Only this morning, she had been singing to blue birds for the entertainment of Clara - it's strange to think that the person in front of his was the same person.

"And what, exactly, would be easier?" Emma asked, a sympathetic frown on her face but her tone disapproving. She knew that the situation was less than ideal, but in her head the fact that David had a wife should mean that Mary Margaret shouldn't be feeling anything for the man with amnesia. She knew that Mary Margaret needed to let him go and move on, however hard that is for her.

"Nothing." Her friend said slowly and quietly, and Emma nodded while Neal rubbed her back soothingly.

"Nothing's a good idea. You're smart, you know not to get involved with a married guy. It's not worth the heartache, trust me." She glanced at Neal and wished that she hadn't brought it up when she saw his eyes harden and his hands clench around his mug until his nuckles were white. She sighed getting up from the table when there was a knock on the door, but was relieved from being released from the conversation. She froze when she saw Henry standing in front of her, tears running down his face. "Kid? What happened?"

"Henry?" Neal frowned in concern when he saw the heartbroken look on Emma's face, getting up to the door as well. His own heart broke when he saw how upset Henry was. "What is it? What happened?"

Henry broke down again, running to Emma and wrapping his arms around her waste. "Archie said I'm crazy." He sobbed into her stomache, while Emma, feeling helpless, held onto his tightly.

Neal's jaw tightened. "He what?!" He roared, his voice echoing through the apartment.

The sound of Teddy playing upstairs - which consisited of him jumping around on the furniture to stop himself from falling in the 'lava' - stopped suddenly. Neal often tried to prevent his kids from seeing him angry, knowing how scary it is from experience; despite all of the awful things which his father did after he became the Dark One, his father had never once turned his anger onto him, but the image of his father when he had first turned into the Dark One had haunted him for years after. He could never get the image of the rage behind his father's eyes, the way his voice turned into a deadly whisper rather than shouts of anger, which seemed to make it even worse. He had been so used to his father being so calm and laid back, to see him completely different had been a bit of a culture shock. It was for that reason that he forced himself to calm down, while he could see Emma's rage building.

"What did he say?" she asked, her teeth gritted as she gently ran her hand through Henry's hair.

Henry pulled back to look at them, still choking back sobs threatening to burst out. "H-he said that the curse wasn't real and I needed to stop. He said that I can't tell what's real and if I don't they will lock me."

"No one's locking you anywhere." Neal said firmly when Henry turned to him, wrapping his right arm around him so that Neal and Emma were pressed together. They shared a look, both conveying their anger at the doctor who had told them that dealing with the curse situation this way was dangerous, only to do it himself. Neal detangled himself from Henry and leaned down slightly when the boys gaze instantly turned to the floor, forcing his son to look him in the eye. "Henry, listen to me. You are not crazy. We know the truth, don't we. We know that Dr Hopper doesn't fully understand because of the curse and, because he doesn't understand, he's lashing out."

Henry looked at him for a moment before nodding, "I just thought that he believed me. I hate people looking at me like I'm crazy, I'm not crazy."

"No, you're not." Neal repeated, knowing that Henry needed the reassurance. He pulled Henry back into his arms before meeting Emma's eyes, which were filled with tears as well. He gave her a small, reassuring smile, which she tried to return the best that she could.

...

Emma banged on the door, finally letting her anger show as she nearly broke down into the Doctor's office in her haste to confront him. "Archie! Archie!" She yelled, but recieved no answer. Finally having enough, she let herself in, ignoring the look of surprise on Archie's face when she stormed over to him. "What did you do?! You told me not to take the fantasy away! You told me it would devastate him!"

Archie sighed heavily, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Emma ignored any concern she would've felt for the man in any of circumstances; her kid was upset, and that made her a very dangerous woman. "Of course," he said quietly, unable to look her in the eye. "If the therapy stops working, you adjust it."

"Is it her? Did she threaten you?" she asked, already knowing who was behind him, especially with the amount of guilt that Archie was showing. He didn't answer. He didn't need to. "What could be strong enough to drown out your own conscious?" she asked, staring at the man in disbelief. He glared at her.

"I do not need to defend my professional decisions to you, okay?" he snapped. Emma opened her mouth to protest, though she knew he was telling the truth - she gave up her rights to Henry, she really didn't have any right to confront him over how he treated Regina's son - but was cut off when her phone rang. Her mood did not improve when she saw who it was.

"Hello, Madam Mayor." She answer snarkily. "Nice work."

"You're with him?" the Mayor asked, making Emma scoff as she looked Dr Hopper up and down in distaste.

"Yes, I'm with Dr. Hopper and guess what? You left your fingerprints all over him when you tried - "

"Not him," Regina interrupted impatiently. "Henry. Is he with you?" she asked.

"Neal's dropping him off." Emma frowned, glancing at the clock. "Erm... he should be there. They left over an hour ago."

"Well, he's not here."

"I don't know where he is."

"Oh." Archie gasped, closing his eyes. "I do."

...

"Henry! Teddy!" Neal called, as he walked closer to the collapsing mine, careful of the amount of rocks and stones he was pushing Clara's stroller over, worried about the risk of knocking the thing over with Clara in it. It had been a struggle getting it off the main road, he still wasn't quite sure how he had managed it.

He had been taking Henry to the Mayor's office like he and Emma had discussed when he had decided to make a pit stop and get ice creams - one thing he had learned when becoming a dad was that a lot of problems can be solved with ice cream. He had wanted to cheer Henry up a bit - hating how down the, usually cheerful, boy was - before handing him over to the parent who was responsible for his misery. But, after Teddy and Henry had gotten their ice creams, he had turned to Clara to stop her from making a mess of the dress that Mary Margaret had brought her when they had first moved in; when he turned back, the boys had gone and Neal had a sinking feeling in his stomache because he knew exactly where Henry would go at a moment like this, and he also knew that Teddy would follow him to the ends of the Earth.

"Henry! Teddy!" He called out, before his phone rang. "Hello?"

"Neal, it's Emma." Emma replied. "Please tell me Henry's with you."

Neal closed his eyes briefly, guilt overwhelming him when he heard the panic in his wife's voice. "I turned my back for a second, and he and Teddy were gone."

"Teddy's gone too?!"

"Yeah, I think they've gone into the mines."

"Are you there?" she asked, and when he replied with a 'yes' she ordered, "Don't go in."

"What?" Neal asked in disbelief. "I can't leave them there."

"Me and Archie are on our way, just stay there."

"I can't." Neal repeated, looking at the mine which looked like it was about the cave in. "I can't leave them." He said before he hung up, cutting Emma off when she tried to protest. He hesitated, staring between the mines and his daughter, who was staring up at him with her dazzling green eyes. He couldn't leave her, but he had to get the boys out of there as quickly as possible - the mine looked ready to collpase completely at any moment. Thankfully, his mind was made up when a car suddenly pulled up on the road not far away; Dr Hopper's car, if Neal remembered correctly.

He gave Clara a smile. "I'll just be a minute." He told her, handing her her favourite teddy bear with a red and yellow pokerdot bow-tie. "I'm just going to get your brothers and, when I've grounded them, we can go home."

The mine was small - though Neal was sure that was because of the earlier collapse - and Neal had to duck when he walked in. "Henry! Teddy!" He called again, walking further into the tunnel.

"Daddy?" a small voice called back and Neal felt the pressure on his chest relieve slightly. At least he could hear him, even if he couldn't yet see him. They hadn't been hurt so far.

"Teddy, are you okay? Is Henry?" he called, nearly banging his head on a low beam.

Teddy's reply was cheerful enough. "Yeah. Me and Henry are exploring!" His voice echoed, and Neal wasn't sure if it reassured him or made him more nervous, when he took in the dust falling from the low ceiling.

"That's great mate. Mind doing it somewhere else." He muttered to himself, speeding up when he saw a flashlight ahead of him, Henry and Teddy waving at him happily. "What are you doing?!" He hissed at them angrily.

"Sorry dad, but we just - " Henry started to say - clearly not seeing his dad's expression but Teddy suddenly went sheepish - but was cut off by Neal.

"Henry, this is dangerous. You and Teddy could get seriously hurt, this isn't a game."

Henry frowned at him in disappointment. "The curse isn't a game." He said firmly, making Neal sigh. He had to tread carefully with this; he couldn't break Henry's beliefs after everything that happened with Archie, but he also couldn't condone Henry putting himself, and his little brother, in danger. There were things that they _could_ do for Operation Cobra, and he would willingly do with the boys - walking willingly into a collapsing mine was not one of those things. This was one of the situations were he desperately needed to pull away, and take the boys with him; preferably, as quickly as possible, because the longer he was in this tunnel, the more anxious he was becoming.

He took a deep breath before he began again. "I never said it was, but how is nearlly getting yourself killed going to help break the curse?"

"The evil queen is hiding something." Teddy said firmly, obviously repeating Henry at some point of the day. Neal sighed heavily, fighting the urge to just drag the boys out of the tunnel kicking and screaming.

"There is nothing down here." He said firmly. While he didn't really believe it, he wanted his kids out of danger more than he wanted to discover Regina's secrets.

"Yes, there is." Henry snapped, bending down and picking up a shard of glass. He held it up to show Neal. "She picked one of these up last night but no one saw her. She is hiding something!"

"You know what," Neal said, his relief being replaced by anger. "Probably. But our Operation is Cobra, which is to help Emma stop the curse. Everything else that your mother is doing can wait - "

"Hero's look into everything."

"Not when they need to listen to their dads." Neal shot back, instantly grabbing his sons when the ground started shaking again. "We need to get out of here, come on!" He pushed the two boys in front of him, forcing them to hurry as they went back the way that he had came. They weren't even half way when the shaking stopped.

"Daddy," Teddy said quietly, looking very nervous now. "What's happening?"

"It's nothing." He told the boy, though he was beginning to panic now that the shaking stopped. Had the entrance caved in? Where they trapped?

"Archie!" Henry, who was a few feet ahead, exclaimed happily when he came to a corner, looking towards what would be the entrance. Neal sped up and froze when he saw Archie, a lit match in his hand, standing just in front the wall of rubble. They had no way out.

Archie looked relieved to see them. "You're here!" He said.

"You're here to help me!" Henry replied, making both Neal and Archie turn towards the ten year old incredulously. Was he still more interested in finding out what Regina was doing than the fact that they were stuck in a dangerous mine? One look at Henry's expectant face told Neal everything he needed to know - Neal sighed, he was going to need a serious talk to Henry about time and place when they eventually got out of this mess.

"No, Henry, listen. We've got to get out of here, okay?" Archie tried to convince the boy as he appeared at Neal's side. Despite his anger at the shrink, he was exceedingly happy that he was here; maybe someone can help him get through to Henry to leave this alone.

Henry's eyes narrowed as he looked between the two adults, betrayal clear in his eyes. Neal pushed away his guilt, Henry's safety was more important at the moment, he told himself. "So, you're still against me?" he whispered, his face scrunching up as if he was about to cry again.

"Henry, now is not the time." Neal said gently, rubbing the boy's arm, but Henry wrenched it out of his grip.

"You don't believe me? You'll see. You'll see!" He promised before running off, ignoring Neal's and Archie's attempts to stop him.

"Don't think so, mate." Neal told Teddy, grabbing the five years old arm when he attempted to follow his brother.

"I'm so sorry." Archie said suddenly as they began to follow Henry through the tunnels. "This is all my fault."

"Now's not the time that we start blaming people." Neal said firmly, glancing at the man who _had_ caused Henry to become so upset that he needed a way to prove himself, but knowing exactly who was to blame for this situation. Regina pushed and pushed for Henry to get out of their 'phase' because of her own fears about the curse breaking and her 'happy ending' coming to an end, but she had taken it too far. She had made Henry believe that he was crazy; she had isolated him from others and made him second guess everything which he believed in. There were many times when Neal saw the boy's insecurities, even if he didn't let them show often, covering them up with his matter-of-fact demeanor over the curse, and his laid back attitude when it came to finding his family. But, Neal could see that, behind all of the bravado, Henry was just a young boy desperate for someone to listen. Someone to believe in him. Archie had been one of those people, and Regina had torn him away in a matter of moments. "You can't keep letting Regina get to you, though. As you can see, her way isn't working."

Archie sighed. "You don't know what she's like."

"I can see what she's like, but she isn't the only one with power in this town. She may be Mayor, but she isn't the Queen." Not here. She didn't have as much power as she would like people to think.

"She still has enough to destroy someone's life."

"And fear of that can destroy a person's life, anyway." Neal replied before they came around the corner to find Henry shining his flashlight down a hole. Neal instantly grabbed the boy, intent on holding onto him so that he didn't run off again. Henry jumped but relaxed when he saw who was holding onto him.

"There's something shiny down there." He told him, looking back into the whole.

"It doesn't matter." Neal said firmly, turning Henry around so that he was facing him. "Henry, this is dangerous. We've got to get out of here."

"It could be something." Henry protested.

"And it could be nothing!"

"Henry, I'm frightened for you." Archie told the boy, making Henry frown.

"Because you think I'm crazy?!"

"No! No, because we are trapped underground in an abandoned mine, Henry." Archie told him, and Henry froze, as if just coming to that realisation. "And there is no way out."

"Henry." Teddy whined, looking extremely nervous. He held out his hand for his brother to take. Henry, looking guiltily down at his brother, glanced at Neal before - after Neal gave him a nod, letting him know that everything would be okay - taking the younger boys hand in his own.

...

"Ruby, could you watch her, please?" Emma asked the young girl, who was already looking after Archie's dog, Pongo.

Ruby nodded instantly. "Of course," she said, taking Clara out of Emma's arms. Emma had long given up on the stroller as she had to move around a lot, trying to control the crowd and also find a way of getting the rest of her family and Dr Hopper out of the collapsed tunnels.

"Archie and Neal are smart," Marco, who had been trying to get through the rubble, appeared at her side, obviously seeing how worried she was. He gave her a smile. "They will keep the boys safe until we get to them." Emma, who knew that he was only trying to help, gave him a smile in return. That smile quickly faded when the ground started to shake. Marco pulled her back in case the tunnel started to collapse even further, "Watch out!"

Regina ran over to them, looking more scared than Emma had ever seen her. "Stop! Stop! You're making it worse!" Emma glared at her.

"I am trying to save them! You know why he went down there in the first place, don't you? Because you made him feel like he had something to prove."

"And why does he think he has anything to prove? Who's encouraging him?"

"Do not put this on me."

"Oh, please! Lecture me until his oxygen runs out!" Regina snapped, looking so close to tears that Emma was taken aback. Regina looked at the mine for a moment before walking off.

Emma took a deep breath before she followed her. "We have to stop this." She said, more softly this time. "Arguing won't accomplish anything."

Regina looked at her and sighed. "No, it won't." She agreed.

"What do you want me to do?"

Regina hesitated for a moment before saying, "Help me. We need to find some way to punch through the ground. We need something big."

"Like what?"

"Explosives." Marco answered for Regina. Both woman shared a glance, knowing how dangerous it would be to use explosives but knew that they had very little options. They had no time to lose; the longer they were in their, the more danger they were in.

...

"Daddy," Teddy said, pulling on the bottom of Neal's shirt, "Doggy."

Neal frowned but, as he listened, he could hear the sound of a dog barking. "Is that - ?"

"It's Pongo!" Henry exclaimed, beaming happily.

"Let's follow the noise." Archie suggested, sensing that there was a way out. The small group followed the noise until it got louder and louder, before they came to a stop in front of an elevator shaft. Archie peeked at the top of it. "It's loudest over here."

"What's this?" Teddy asked, looking at the strang box in confusion.

"It's an old elevator." Neal told him gently, moving closer to it. "It gets the mine workers in and out. It could be our way out."

"Can we make it work?" Henry asked.

Archie and Neal shared a glance before Neal nodded. "It's worth a shot." He said, getting inside with Archie, making Henry and Teddy stand behind them as they began to turn the wheel, slowly sending them up the shaft.

...

"Did it work?" Regina asked, nervously when Emma ran back through the smoke, her heart dropping when she saw Emma's disappointment.

"It didn't open." The blonde told her.

Graham stared at the mine nervously. "Then what did it do?" he asked, doing nothing to help Regina's nerves. The Mayor let out a screech, glaring around at the workers who looked just as disappointed and worried as she felt.

"What was that?" she ordered, glaring hard at all of them. None of which could meet her eye. "What the hell was that? You said you could do this!"

"Madam Mayor!" Emma snapped, making Regina turn on her.

"They could have killed my son!"

"And mine! Not to mention my husban and Archie." Emma said, reminding her that she wasn't the only one with something to lose. "But this isn't helping."

"If we knew exactly where they were," Marco said shakily, "we could drill down to them. Maybe... Maybe rig something to bring them back up."

"But drill where?" Graham asked.

Emma looked over at Ruby, who was gently singing to Clara in order to calm her down; the noise had clearly scared her. Emma wanted nothing more than to go over to her but knew that she couldn't waste time. Her gaze turned to the fire truck behind them to see Pongo barking through the window, looking like he was trying to get out, when she got an idea.

...

"Daddy," Teddy said, leaning against Neal and looking up at him sadly. "I don't like this." They were sat on the floor of the elevator, having had to give up on that plan when a large explosion had forced to a stop half way up the shaft. No matter what Neal or Archie did, they weren't able to turn to wheel. So, they were waiting for the rescue team to find the air shaft and come down themselves, praying desperately that the elevator didn't drop - Neal had never felt so helpless in all of his life.

He rubbed his son's arm gently. "It's okay, buddy. We'll be home soon."

"I don't want to play Op'ration Cobra anymore." He said. Neal looked up at Henry, noticing how crushed the boy was as he stared at his brother sadly. Teddy and Henry had become like partners in crime since finding out they were brothers - Henry felt like he was losing him now.

"Well," Neal said slowly. "This isn't Operation Cobra."

Teddy frowned. "It isn't?"

"No, this is Operation Viper. Completely different."

"Oh, okay. Let's stick to Op'ration Cobra." He said firmly, his eyes showing how serious he was on the subject. Neal laughed.

"That sounds like a plan."

"I'm really, really, really, sorry." Henry whispered, looking down at his shoes.

"Henry, it's fine." Neal told him, holding out his other hand for Henry to take. Henry took it but stood up, walking over to Neal's free side and burying himself into Neal's jacket, much like Teddy had done on the other side. Neal smiled and ran his hand through Henry's hair.

"I just wanted to find proof."

"I know."

"You know, it's really alright, Henry." Archie said, looking at him sadly. "And, um, I'm sorry, too. Look, I don't think you're crazy. I just think you have got a very strong mother, who's got a clear path that she wants you to be on and when you step off that she... She gets scared. And, you know, it's natural for you to be able to be free to think things that you want to think. So, anyway, I didn't mean those things I said, and I never should have said them."

"Then, why did you?" Henry asked quietly, making Archie grimace.

"I guess I'm just not a very good person. I'm not the man I want to be." He said, when the elevator suddenly shifted further down the shaft. Teddy let out a scream, burying himself even tighter into Neal's side while Neal's grip tightened on both Teddy and Henry, who hadn't made a sound but had tightened his hold as well.

Neal looked over at Archie and mouthed, "Thank you." Archie gave him a smile in return before they sat in silence for a long moment.

"I think you can be him." Henry said suddenly, looking over at Archie. "I think you can be a good person. I mean, you're Jiminy Cricket."

Archie looked at Neal awkwardly, but Neal did nothing to help the doctor. This was a mistake that he made, something _he_ needed to fix... also, Archie wanted him to go against Henry's theory over the fact that he is Jiminy Cricket, while Neal fully believed his son. "Henry." The older man sighed. "Henry, Jiminy Cricket was a... He was a cricket, okay? And, he was a conscious, and... I hardly think that's me."

"He was a man before." Teddy spoke up. "He did a bad thing and wanted to make up for it."

Archie looked at him and smiled. "That kind of sounds like me." He admitted.

"Now, it's harder for you, because of the curse. To hear the voice inside of you. To be who you want to be." Henry told him.

"Hey, can I ask you again?" Archie asked suddenly, looking down at Henry intently.

"Ask what."

"Why do you think it's so important that you fairy tale theory is true?"

Henry shrugged. "I don't know."

"Try and explain it for us." Neal pushed, wanting to know himself. _He_ knew it was true, but Henry only had the book for a reference and many of other children would've just passed it off as a story. But Henry was so convinced that it was real; Neal had never been able to understand why. How did he work it out, all on his own?

"Because," Henry sighed, "this can't be all there is."

Neal looked at him sadly, wishing that, when he had been given up for adoption, he had been given to someone normal. Maybe then he wouldn't have been made to feel that low about himself that he truly _needed_ to believe in something that was near on impossible for him to be happy.

Archie forced a smile. "I understand."

"I thought if I found proof... But I didn't find anything."

"Well, that's not true. I was lost and you found me, right?" Archie said, making Neal's and Henry's head snap up in his direction.

Teddy looked at him curiously. "Do you remember, Dr Hop-per." He asked lightly.

"No, Teddy. I don't remember, but I do remember the kind of person I want to be." Archie said, nodding firmly. "I've just got to listen harder."

The four of them looked up when pieces of rock started to fall through the grate at the top of the elevator, freezing when they saw a light shining through from above.

"Daddy, what's that?" Teddy asked, squinting up at the light.

"I think, that's your mommy." Neal replied, catching the sight of blonde hair and a red leather jacket. His smile widened when she came down closer and he could see that it was actually her - he had been worried that he was a little oxygen deprived.

"You guys okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're okay." Archie told her as they stood up.

"You took your time, didn't ya?" Neal asked cheekily, earning himself a glare from Emma and giggles from both Henry and Teddy.

"You're going to get a smack when I get my hands on you." Emma muttered as she came to a stop. "Okay, let's get the boys out first." She said, wanting to get Henry and Teddy out as soon as possible, even if meant carrying both of them.

Archie and Neal lifted Henry up, who - quickly getting the idea - wrapped his arms around Emma's shoulders from behind, gripping on like a monkey while Teddy clung onto her front. Everyone froze when the elevator started to shake.

"It's going to fall!" Archie cried, looking around nervously.

"I'm sorry." Emma sobbed, looking down at Neal desperately. He looked up at her with a sad smile.

"It's okay, babes."

"No!" Emma screamed as the elevator stared to shake even more. "Neal!"

Emma closed her eyes when the shaking stopped and the elevator fell, she didn't open her eyes even when she heard the loud crash of the elevator hitting the bottom of the mine. Shakily, she opened her already tear filled eyes only to let out a laugh of disbelief when she saw that Archie had hooked his umbrella into one of the hooks in her harness and Neal was holding onto the doctor's ankle.

Neal smirked up at her, giving off an air of confidence though he looked just as relieved as she felt. "Did you really think you could get rid of me that easily?" he asked, making her laugh even harder.

"Oh, you are sleeping on the sofa tonight."

"Yeah, I had the feeling I would."

Teddy giggled insanely as they started to get pulled up. "Daddy's in trouble." He said in a sing song voice.

"Teddy! You're supposed to be on Daddy's side! Er, don't you start!" Neal added when he saw Henry open his mouth to say something.

...

The moment that they were out of the shaft, Regina pulled Henry off Emma's back and moved them so that they were a few feet away from the crowd, wrapping her arms around the boy tightly as if she was never going to let him go. Emma kept looking between him and Teddy, not sure where to go before Neal decided for her; he grabbed her hand and lead her over to Regina, making sure that Teddy was still close to his panic-stricken mother.

"Henry, you okay?" she asked, when they reached them.

Regina gave them a dismissive guesture. "Deputies, you can clear the crowd away." She said, not letting go of Henry.

Emma's smile slipped off her face but she stopped Neal when he went to protest, pulling on his arm gently until they were walking in the opposite direction.

Henry peeked over his mother's shoulder and looked sadly over at Emma and Neal, who were embracing Teddy and Clara, looking very much like their family was complete, and that he wasn't a part of it. His grip loosened on his mother but she didn't notice.

...

Once she was able to drag herself away from Henry, Regina walked over to Archie, smiling pleasantly. "Thank you, Dr. Hopper." She said sincerely, knowing that she would never say the same to Henry's biological parents and needing a way to express her gratitude at her son's safe return.

Archie looked at her nervously before he spoke, "I have something to say." He said shakily. Regina waited, expectantly. "I'm going to continue to treat Henry, and I'm going to do it my own way."

Regina's smile faded, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "My relief at his safety hasn't changed a thing, Dr Hopper. You will do as I say, or you will - "

"Or what? You'll ruin my life? You'll do your worst? Because I will always do my best." Archie replied, staring at her confidently now that he was speaking his mind. Regina clenched her jaw and hands tightly, losing her patience.

"Don't test me." She said slowly.

"Oh, I don't need to. Because you're going to leave me alone and let me do my work, in peace."

Regina scoffed. "Really? Why's that."

"Because someday, Madam Mayor, you may find yourself in a custody battle." He told her, making Regina stiffen. "And do you know how the court determines who is a fit parent? They consult an expert. Particularly one who has treated the child. So, I suggest you think about that, and you allow me to do my work, and you let me do it the way my conscience tells me to."

...

As everything had calmed down, and the crowd began talking and drinking, Neal stood off to the side holding a sleeping Clara in his arms. He was silently watching his family; Teddy and Henry, who had come over to them the moment Regina had let him go, wouldn't move from Emma's side, though she didn't seem to be complaining. He had almost lost them today; he could've died in that mine, going after something he really didn't care about, and Teddy and Henry could've died with him, leaving Emma and Clara alone.

He had felt so torn earlier that day. He wanted Emma to break the curse to save the people of Storybrooke but, at the same time, he wanted his family safe, and he didn't think that staying here was the best option for him. Now, he didn't feel so torn. His family was what was important and, no matter how guilty he felt, Mary Margaret and the rest of the residents of Storybrooke came second to his family and their safety. It was for that reason that, when he saw Regina drop a piece of glass - which had been identical to the one Henry had found in the mine - down the drain, he ignored it and focused on his family. Curse or no curse, he wouldn't let anything happen to his family. He knew that the moment things got too dangerous he was packing everything up, and the family, including Henry, would be leaving Storybrooke for good. And no one - not the Evil Queen, or the Dark One - would stop him.

...

AN: So, how do you all feel about Neal's decision? Do you think he'd stick to it, or will he change his mind when he becomes more invested in helping break the curse? Do you agree with Neal and think he should take a step back, or should he be more involved with Operation Cobra? As always, let me know what you think - I always love hearing you're thoughts :)

 **Reviews...**

 **MythicMystic -** Thank you, I'm happy that you like it so much. I agree; the Baelfire storyline was one of the main storylines which I was interested in after series one and I loved how they introduced him as Emma's love interest and Henry's father but I don't think they did it justice. There were so many ways they could've taken it and they ended up killing him off and pairing Emma with Hook (who, strangely, I love but their relationship is no Swanfire :() I'm looking forward to August as well; they never got the confrontation in the original which I was also disappointed with. Maybe I can make up for it in this ;)

 **FictionLover12 -** Lol, I don't think he ever will have when it comes to his father. He's had this tension building for ten years while he was with Emma and now he is just on edge everytime he and his family is around Gold. Definitely, there are a lot of issues which Neal and Emma will have to resolve - which will be fun to go into, I suppose. And, thank you for pointing that out; I'd never noticed before although writing it did seem familiar somehow. I've tried to do a mixture of the three; 'mate' 'bud' and 'buddy' but I'll try and ease up on the mate :)

 **Twihardkristen-one -** Thank you :)

 **crazyhpcfan -** Thank you. Neal will have a big influence on what happens in Storybrooke, especially after the curse is broken; although it will mostly follow canon's basic plotline with many twists and turns along the way :) I'm glad you're enjoying this so far, and that you like this chapter just as much :)

 **Onceuponlover -** Thank you, I'm happy that you loved it :) And I'm not quite sure; I have a few drafts of him finding out at different times of the show but I'm not quite sure which one to go with and what feels right... where abouts do you think Gold should find out about Neal?

 **-** Thank you, I will ;)

 **Rainbow2.0 -** I'm glad you like it, and I hope this was worth the wait :) yes, that will be very interesting to see but, knowing Rumple, he will use it to his advantage and it will only make things worse with Neal...


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Okay, so... I'm an idiot. I've been keeping an eye on the reviews over the last week and was so confused as to why some of the reviews were coming in days later than it said it was posted on the actual review. Then I realised that I've set it so that anonymous reviews needed to be moderated... like I said, I'm an idiot. I apologise to all those who have posted an anonymous review - luckily, if it isn't accepted or declined within a certain time frame, it gets posted anyway :) I know I haven't been posting as often as I had done with other chapters, but I've started a new job last week; which was why I was trying so hard to get the first lot of chapters on for you all before I started. I hope this was worth the wait, though :) **Quick little extra, before I start...** me and one of my faithful reviewers, Onceuponlover, have been discussing when Gold should find out the truth about Neal. Onceuponlover has had a good idea of having him replace August in The Return... what do you guys think? Drop me a review and let me know, I'd love to hear more input :)

 **The Shepard**

 **February 2006**

Emma held her breath as she waited for the results of the pregnancy test in front of her to reveal her fate. Never had she been as scared as she was now; with the exception of five years previous, where, scared and alone, she had found out that she was pregnant at the age of seventeen. Also, while she was in prison; not exactly the life that she had planned out for herself. That felt like a lifetime ago now and, while Emma had managed to avoid thinking about that time and the baby she had given away, for the past few weeks that she had suspected that she could be pregnant, it was all she could think about. Despite being older and 'wiser' those feelings were still exactly the same as they were back then; the sense of dread in the pit of her stomache was making her feel sick.

But she was a completely different person to who she had been then, as was Neal, and - in many ways - that was a very good thing. She doubted they would've stayed together for as long as they had with everything they'd been through since she had been released from prison; from Tallahassee, which (admittedly) had been the best two years of either of their lives, to breaking up and then getting back together, getting married, which was a surprise for both of them, as they had never actually planned to marry. In fact, when they spoke of their future, it was often a conversation that was like; "so, how about Chicago next?" They never thought about much in their future except where they were going next; having yet to find a place like Tallahassee and were still searching for a place that felt like home, but wanting to move forwards rather than go back, however tempting that might be for them. Never had they spoke about marriage, and they definitely hadn't spoken about having a baby.

How could she be so stupid? After giving that baby up for adoption, Emma had gone to great lengths to make sure that they were completely protected, wanting no more surprises in their relationship. But, a few weeks ago, when she had realised that she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a period, she had begun to panic. And that panic was only growing with every passing second as she waited for the results of this damn pregnancy test.

Neal had got a new job as a sales assistant in the city centre, and wouldn't be back for another few hours at least. She was allowed to have a break down if she needed to, without fear of her husband walking in. Oh God, what was she going to tell him? She didn't even know how he felt about children - they never spoke about it! He could freak and walk out on her, like he had in Portland. She could be left alone _again..._ but she didn't know how she would be able to cope if she had to go through it alone. Could she _really_ be a single mother? Truthfully, she could barely look after herself, let alone a baby. Any child deserved their best chance possible, something she and Neal never got. But could she actually give another baby up, when she was still haunted by the decision to give up the last one? She didn't know if she was strong enough, and the idea was starting to make her sick, so she pushed it from her mind and focused on watching the clock.

As the long hand reached the twelve, Emma tensed, turning her eyes back to the test. Nervously, she pulled the text closer towards her and her heart dropped when she finally saw the result. She was pregnant. She sat staring at the test, in shock - which is why she didn't even consider hiding the little white stick when Neal barged into the bathroom, completely oblivious until he saw the test in her hand. She looked up at him carefully, wary of his reaction... but, to her surprise, a slow smile spread across his face. He was happy. At least one of them was.

...

"Should you even be here?" Neal raised an eyebrow at the ten year old in front of him. It had been a few days since they had been trapped in the mines, and Neal's relief that they were all safe had been quickly replaced by his disapproval. Teddy, much to the small boy's dismay, had been grounded for a week and banned from his Batman action figures along with anything Operation Cobra related or anything that could be considered 'fun'. Which was why his absence had been noticed by most of the town - who had falled in love with the Cassidy children - as the five year old had stayed at home with Mary Margaret, who had been glad for the excuse to stay away.

Henry, from what Neal had found out, hadn't been grounded at all. In fact, despite all of Regina's ranting and raving that he was grounded, she hadn't even acknowledged that her son had nearlly put himself, along with Teddy, Neal and Archie, at risk. It was like the incident had been wiped from her mind. While Neal understood the relief of having his child home and safe, he also knew that Henry wasn't going to learn anything if she just let it go. Henry had quickly got over the guilt of his actions, and it was business as usual when it came to getting Emma to break the curse. Although he hadn't tried anything dangerous yet, Neal was still anxious that it would only be a matter of time.

Henry was unconcerned by his dad's tone and just shrugged. "It's a party." Was all he had to say in reply, before he turned to Emma. "You know why he doesn't remember?" he asked, changing the subject entirely. Neal rolled his eyes, earning himself a stern look from Emma - who was more relaxed over the Henry subject, thinking they had no responsibility over scolding Henry - above their son's head. "The curse isn't working on him yet."

Emma sighed, while Neal remained quiet. He was still considering the option of packing up and leaving Storybrooke, his anxieties over his children's safety in the mysterious town wasn't making him want to stay any longer than possible; their bags were already packed, ready to go if they needed to, and they could easily buy Henry some new stuff when they left town... "Henry," Emma said delicately, knowing that saying the wrong thing could push Henry over the edge. Even though she wasn't on the same page as Neal, she didn't want to do or say anything to the boy that could make him go off and put himself in danger to try and prove himself, but she also didn't want to let his mind run wild, taking the rest of him with it. "David has amnesia." She told him.

"Well, it's preventing the curse from replacing his fairy tale story with fake memories." Henry said firmly. Emma forced a smile while Neal kept his eyes on Clara, who was being passed through the guests like a parcel - not that she seemed to mind. Clara soaked up all of the attention she got.

"Right." Emma nodded, forcing a smile. "Because everyone here has fake stories that prevent them from remembering who they really are."

"Right." Henry nodded, smiling widely, and a lot more genuinely. "And now's our chance to help him. We just have to get him to remember that he's - "

"Prince Charming." Neal cut him off quickly. "Yeah. Maybe we should back off Operation Cobra for a while." He suggested, making Henry and Emma turn towards him in surprise. He quickly added, when seeing Henry's hurt look, "Your mom may be expecting a plan of action from us after we went searching for proof in the mines."

Henry nodded. "That makes sense. But we need to jog his memory soon by getting him and Miss Blanchard together."

"Didn't we just try that?"

"And it woke him up." Henry pointed out, and Neal smiled. He couldn't pick fault with that.

"Hey." David said, appearing at Neal's side. Neal tensed; this was the first time that he had been around his father-in-law, he wasn't quite sure how to act. It was ridiculous that he suddenly felt nervous, like he needed to prove something to the man who couldn't even remember who he was or the fact that his daughter and grandchildren were in the same house as him. "You're the ones who saved me, right?" he asked pleasantly, looking rather uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving.

"Oh, yeah. I guess." Emma muttered, smiling awkwardly.

"And, uh, you're also the only ones I know here."

"You can hide with us."

David relaxed. "Fantastic." He smiled at Neal, who couldn't help but smile back, but he didn't open his mouth to say anything. What was he going to say? _Hi, I'm your daughter's husband. I'm also the son of someone who - according to MY son's book of fairytales - you locked up and is, with exception to the Evil Queen, your sworn enemy; so I'm sure you're going to hate me just as much when you wake up..._ Too sarcastic, perhaps. Might be easier to just keep quiet and let Emma do the talking - that usually works and stops him from having to remove his foot from his mouth. "Oh, thank you." David said, when a man appeared at his side, holding a tray of food. Henry perked up when he watched his grandfather spear a cocktail weenie with a toothpick.

"So, you ever use a sword?" he asked, making David look at him in surprise.

"I'm sorry?" he asked, but Henry just smiled. David looked at Neal and Emma and, when they didn't say anything to help him out, so, instead, he asked, "You live with Mary Margaret, right? Do you know if she's coming tonight?"

"She couldn't make it." Neal told him. "She's babysitting. Our middle child is grounded." He glanced at Henry, to see him pointedly avoiding his gaze.

David's hopeful expression fell. "Oh." He said, leading them into silence.

...

"You should go out there." Regina told Kathryn, as the blonde - the Cassidy brat on her hip - continued to fuss over the food. "There's plenty of food." She told her patiently, taking the plate off her. "Go. Be with your husband."

Kathryn sighed, closing her eyes briefly before she looked at the woman who had helped her immensely over the past week. "I lost him once, now I have him back, but it's like I still don't have him back. You have no idea how that feels." She turned away, going back to her fussing while Clara played with her blonde locks, looking at them as if they were gold.

"Actually, I do." Regina replied, making Kathryn look at her in surprise at the admition. Emma, who had been searching for her daughter, paused outside the door, also shocked at what she was hearing. "I lost someone once, too." Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise; maybe that was why she was so bitter and cold hearted.

"Really?" Kathryn questioned, voicing both hers and Emma's surprise, while Emma decided that it would be safer to stay where she was. Regina wouldn't take kindly to finding out that the woman she hated had overheard her expressing her feelings in 'private'.

"Yes. But the love I lost... there's no bringing him back." She said, her tone so sad that Emma frowned, her heart clenching at the sound. "You have a chance here. Go to him."

"You're right. And Regina... thank you. Thank you for being such a good friend. It's been so longely. I'm not used to having one."

Regina was silent for a moment before she spoke. "Neither am I."

"Well, like it or not, you have one now." Kathryn smiled at her, making Regina smile back. "Could you take Clara for me?"

The smile disappeared. "Erm... no, I'm not good with babies."

"You were good with your son from what I remember." Kathryn said dismissively, holding Clara out to her. Regina hesitated for a moment before taking her, looking down at the baby in her arms nervously as Kathryn left.

Emma watched Regina silently as the Mayor continued to stare at Clara as if she wasn't quite sure what she was; she seemed extremely afraid that Emma wasn't sure how she could have possibly have raised Henry, a child who - from what she could tell - would've soaked up the attention like Clara and Teddy do. Despite the fact that they were raised apart, it was scary how alike those three were. To Emma's complete surprise, however, Regina began to smile, relaxing as she held her adopted son's baby sister. The moment was so sweet, but was ultimately shattered by Clara's exclaim of; "Mommy!" when she saw her.

Regina's smile slipped off her face when she saw her watching. Emma stood there silently, knowing that she probably looked like a deer in the headlights, much like when Henry had blurted out that he had found her on that first night. They stood there staring at each other for a long moment before Regina broke out of the spell and stormed over to were Emma was stood, her expression containing more rage than Emma had ever thought possible. "Take better care of your child in the future, Mrs Cassidy." She sneered, practically throwing Clara into her arms before walking off, her heels clicking. Once the sound had completely faded, Emma let out the breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding, before smiling at Clara and holding the little girl closer as she tangled her hands in her hair.

...

 **June 23rd, 2006**

When it came down to it, they hadn't had a lot of time to prepare for the baby at all. Neal and Emma had gone to the doctors the same week she found out she was pregnant, only to discover that she was already five months along - not that you would've guessed it from looking at her. With a baby boy... As if the pregnancy wasn't making her feel nostaligic as if was.

For Emma, she felt like a ticking time bomb for the next four months after - growing more and more anxious every day she got closer to her due date, and everything would change. When she and Neal spoke of their future as a family - which they did frequently since finding out she was pregnant - she never once suggested anything other than raising the baby, despite already thinking that they wouldn't be able to do it at all. Neal was too excited, too thrilled at the prospect of becoming a father than she didn't want to effect his mood. He had loved the baby as if he had been in their lives for years; Neal was the one gushing over baby outfits, trying to come up with names (at the moment he was stuck between Theodore and Landon), and making their closet - which was nearlly half the size of their bedroom - into a nursery. When she had thought that she was pregnant, she had expected a lot of reactions from Neal, none of which included him measuring her and keeping track of how big she was growing. He had surprised her, and she had begun to let herself hope that everything was going to be okay. That they were going to have their Tallahassee, and their little family was going to be perfect.

But she couldn't stop that niggling feeling of doubt in the back of her mind - she didn't get emotional like Neal did when she saw the scan. She was barely interested in the names, or the clothes, or the furniture and design of the small nursery. She found the kicks and movements irriating rather than beautiful. She was far from what you would call a natural mother, and she knew that she would only be worse when the baby came. And, even though she had prayed that she was wrong, she had been completely right. She didn't know how to be a mother - it's not like she had much to go of from past experiences and role models. The closest she could go by was Ingrid, but she didn't think that nearlly killing her child by throwing them in front of an on-coming car would be a good example of her motherly instincts.

"Do you want to hold him?" Neal asked, looking over at her in concern from where he stood at the hospital window, breaking Emma out of her thoughts. He had been mostly focused on the baby, which was currently in his arms, but had frequently been glancing over at her as if he was expecting something. He would be waiting a long time, Emma thought to herself bitterly. She looked away quickly, so she didn't see his expression and she didn't risk the chance of glancing at the baby.

They had been at the hospital for less than an hour and she'd been forced into a bed while the doctors checked her and the baby over. When she had first started showing signs of going into labor in the middle of the night - something which Neal was almost an expert on now, given that he had researched the entire thing - she had refused to go to the hospital. The fear that she felt when she found out she was pregnant, was nothing compared to the fear she felt when she was about to give birth. It had taken Neal hours to convince her that she needed to be around people who knew what they were doing; that they couldn't possibly know what to expect with their first - if only he knew - and that it would be much safer for her and the baby if they were at a hospital. She hadn't even considered the risks of not going to hospital, she had trying to fool herself into thinking that if she stayed at the flat then she would delay the baby's arrival. In the end, the labor had been too far along and they hadn't made it to the hospital, they'd had to stop half way there and she had given birth to the baby in the backseat of the bug. Neal, almost automatical, had handed him to her the moment he was out.

She'd held her baby for the first time... and she had felt nothing, she had avoided looking at him and had, instead, looked above his head. Even now as she listened to Neal speak to the baby, make promises about his future and their lives together, and the kind of father he wanted to be, although it melted her heart to hear the joy in his voice, it was almost like it was all muffled. Like she was listening to it on the radio, in the background while she did some cleaning. She didn't feel like she was a part of this experience; she just felt like an outsider.

"So, Theodore or Landon?" Neal asked suddenly.

"The first one." Emma mumbled, picking at the hospital blanket covering her legs. She hadn't even heard the question, she just knew that it had been an either/or question. She just didn't care.

...

"What was that?" Emma asked as they were drove home from the Nolans. The party had been awkward, given that they only had Henry to talk her, and Regina was hanging about around nearlly every corner. When one of their hosts had disappeared, they had decided to make their excuses and leave.

Neal looked at her, confused. "What?"

"You're the one who usually goes along with Operation Cobra." She pointed out, watching him in concern. "But for the last few days you've been... off."

Neal sighed. "It's just... Henry put himself and Teddy in danger by going into those mines and he doesn't even seem to care. It's like Operation Cobra is above everything to him, including his own life. He still doesn't see that what he did was wrong. He felt guilty for scaring Teddy but other than that... he's gone straight back to Operation bloody Cobra."

"It's not like we can punish him, though."

"Why not?" Neal questioned, making Emma frown. "We've come here for him and we're his parents. If Regina isn't doing anything, isn't it our responsibility to do something instead."

"We've already told him that what he did was wrong. He knows that."

"Does he? It's like it goes through one ear, and out the other."

"Well, what would you suggest?" Emma asked, clearly at a loss for what they should do. Emma had thought that, because they'd had experience with caring for children, having been doing so for five years, they would be able to adjust to having Henry in their lives without any issues. But looking after a five year old is a lot different from looking after a ten year old. They were still learning from Teddy - adding on the new responsibilities from Henry was definitely a challenge. But, luckily, the Cassidy's weren't quitters.

"I'm still thinking." Neal sighed as they pulled up to the apartment to see David Nolan walking down the other side of the street, back towards his house with Kathryn. Both Neal and Emma paused when they saw him, and their concerns only intensified when they walked into the apartment and saw Mary Margaret, clearlly distressed, scrubbing at a dish harshly.

"You might want to ease up, or that brillo pad's going to press charges." Emma joked as they walked further into the apartment.

"Daddy!" Teddy exclaimed, running over and wrapping his little arms around Neal's legs, gripping on for dear life. It was as if his family had left him for years rather than for a few hours.

Emma smiled, unoffended that her son had barely even looked at her, having gotten used to Teddy being a daddy's boy. "What am I, chopped liver?" she smiled, opening her arms for a hug of her own. Teddy smiled widely and giggled adorably as he threw himself at her, nearlly sending her into the floor.

Neal's smile faded when he turned to Mary Margaret, looking at her in concern as she continued frowning at the dishes. "Teddy been that bad, huh?" he asked, already guessing that there was something else behind his mother-in-laws frustration.

"Oh, of course not. There... uh... dished were just piling up." She sighed, continuing to scub the dishes, less harshly than before.

"So, it's about David." Neal assumed, adding when he saw her trying to look innocent, "we saw him leaving."

"We just, uh... He just..."

"Yeah, we know." Emma said softly. "You're both just, and you did the right thing."

"We put up a bird house." Teddy told them excitedly. "Well, David helped. We couldn't reach."

"That's great." Neal smiled happily, turning away from Mary Margaret. So far, because of his torn feelings on the subject, he had avoided anything associated with the curse; Emma's parents clearly being forced apart by the Evil Queen, despite him not thinking it was right, was only going to get him sucked back in if he let it. He knew he had to keep a safe distance from this rather than getting emotionally attatched, knowing that it would only cause complications if he ever felt that they needed to pack up and leave. He turned to his kids. "How about a story?" he suggested.

"Yeah!"

"What do you want me to read to you?" Neal asked, just as enthusiastically. He loved reading to the kids. When he had been a child, his father, who had no education at all, hadn't been able to read to him and his mother had always been staying longer at the tavern before disappearing completely; it had been the other way around once Neal had been taught by some of the villagers. Morraine's parents, he thinks, but he can't be certain. Frequently during Neal's childhood where he had spent hours reading to his father, while the older - and kinder man, at the time - had run his hands though his hair, as he had done with his own children many times.

"Peter Pan." Teddy decided, making Neal pause, his smile frozen in place. Emma looked over, watching the scene before her intently. One thing she had noticed with Neal was that, while he loved reading to the kids, he tended to avoid certain stories. Peter Pan being a big one. He had once tried to re-tell the story with a twist; making Peter Pan the villain and Captain Hook the hero... but Teddy had refused to go to sleep until he told the story 'properly'. "That's not the right way round, Daddy." He told his father adamently, at only three years old. He tended to focus on other stories, such as Snow White and Beauty and the Beast.

"How about Snow White." Neal suggested, as he lead the Teddy upstairs, claring resting her head on his shoulder, exhausted from all of the meeting and greetings of the residents of Storybrooke. Being adored by all must be hard work, Neal mused with a smile. "You love Snow White."

"Okay." Teddy hopped up the stairs, his hand tightly within his dad's.

Mary Margaret let out the frustrated sigh she had been holding in as soon as they had gone. "He made a pretty compelling case." She told her friend.

Emma smiled sympathetically. "He's still married. I know - I was just at the party."

"What do I do?"

"You need to stop cleaning, and have a drink." Emma said firmly, grabbing two glasses and a bottle of whiskey. Mary Margaret smiled and joined the blonde at the table. "Here's the thing." Emma continued as she poured them a drink. "I don't know a lot about relationships, having only had two my entire life, but generally speaking; if you think something you want to do is wrong, it is." She handed Mary Margaret her drink. "So, you've got to stay strong and he has to figure out his life."

Mary Margaret nodded in agreement, despite the fact that her heart was telling her something completely different.

...

Neal was still considering what he should do with Henry as he sat by his desk at the station the next morning, startling when a box of donuts appeared under his nose. He looked up deom the paperwork on the desk and met the brown, glinting eyes of Graham, who was smirking at his deer-in-the-headlights expression.

"Sometimes, clichés are true." He shrugged, still holding out the box.

Emma leaned over, narrowing her eyes playfully at their boss, who had quickly become their friend. She looked at the box and then looked back at Graham. "Okay, what do you want?" she asked suspiciously.

"Remember when I said no night shifts?" Graham cringed, his gaze on Neal. "I need you to work tonight. Just this once."

Neal's eyes widened while Emma smirked. "What? Why me?"

"Emma's got the kids."

" _We've_ got the kids, it's not all the woman's job, y'know. That is very sexist of you, Sheriff. I'm surprised at you." Neal gave the man a mocking glare. "You just like her more."

Graham shrugged again. "Well, she is prettier."

"Oh, stop being such a baby. I'll take it for you." Emma laughed, grabbing a bear claw from the box. Neal sighed, taking one for himself.

"No, it's okay. On one condition." He turned to Graham. "I get this afternoon off."

"Deal." Graham jumped at the opportunity for getting cover, making Neal truly suspicious at what he had planned. Surely you wouldn't be that eager to get time off if you were just volunteering.

"Why?" Emma asked, taking a bite out of her pastry. Neal shrugged, feeling more at ease than he had for days.

"I think I have an idea on how to deal with the Henry situation." He confided.

"Emma," Mary Margaret rushed in, making the three of them turn to her in surprise. So far, it had been a very quite day - they hadn't had to leave the station once, except when Graham had clearly gone to get the box of treats. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" she asked, flushed, looking between them and Graham nervously.

"I'll just go and patrol my office." Graham said quickly, turning on his heel and walking off. Neal looked between the two women cautiously.

"Do I need to do the same?" he asked, completely serious. Emma rolled her eyes at him.

"You don't have an office." She pointed out, much to his dismay. He didn't need reminding...

"There's always the cells. You can never be too careful."

"No, you can stay." Mary Margaret told him, making him smile.

"See," he called over his shoulder, making Graham look over at him, "at least _she_ likes me."

"Oh, so _she's_ the one." Graham smirked, before closing the door before Neal could shout back a reply. Neal pouted, turning his attention back to his bear claw.

"He left his wife." Mary Margaret blurted out. "David, he left her. He left Kathryn."

"Okay, slow down." Emma ordered gently, when Mary Margaret began to get herself worked up.

"He did it for me. He wants me to be with him. He wants me to meet him tonight."

"That's..."

"I mean, I'm trying so hard to be strong, but he just keeps coming. I mean, how do I stop it? You know, how do I let him down? What would you do?"

"Go." Neal said firmly, ignoring his resolve to stay out of it. To him, this was more a Mary Margaret and David issue than an Operation Cobra. Yes, he wanted to stay out of things but he also didn't want his friend (and kinda mother-in-law) to be as miserable and conflicted as she had been for days now.

Mary Margaret's eyes widened. Clearly, when she had come to them for advice, the last thing she had been expecting to hear was that. "What?" she asked, leaning forwards slightly as if she had mis-heard him.

"Well, he left her." Emma pointed out, nodding in agreement at Neal's decision. "It's one thing to say that he wants you, but it's another to actually make a choice and now, he has. That's all you can ask for."

Mary Margaret was silent for a moment before she said, with apprehention, "Given her new friendship with Kathryn, I don't think Regina would be happy."

Emma shrugged. "All the more reason to do it." She said, making Neal smirk.

"Good lord." Mary Margaret breathed. "Is this really happening?"

"You tell us."

...

Neal wasn't someone who would usually be considered a strict parents, and it was true; he had no idea how to properly scold his children. It had taken him years to learn how to properly stick to his guns with Teddy and ground him when he had been bad. Henry, on the other hand, was a tricky situation. Legally, he and Emma had no right to punish their own son; he was Regina's and it was _her_ responsibility to punish him if he did something bad or dangerous - like wandering into a collapsing mine, leading his five year old brother, who would jump off a cliff if Henry had asked, with him. But, considering Regina claimed to be strict on Henry (and the rest of the town seemed to agree), she did let Henry get away with a lot and, when she did punish him, he barely took any notice and did his own thing. While Neal didn't _want_ to punish him, he found it infuriating that Henry had gone back to his usual self as if nothing had happened. He had learnt nothing, and while Neal knew that Henry had genuinely felt guilty for upsetting his brother, he obviously didn't feel bad about his actions other than that. Neal hoped this would be a way of teaching him; even if it was a bit conventional.

"So, where are we going?" Henry asked brightly as Neal lead him into the stables. Neal had hardly been surprised that the town had stables and horses. According to Henry's fairytale book, Regina had been a keen rider in her youth.

"You'll see." Neal said calmly as they walked through, coming to a stop in front of a stall containing white horse. He turned to Henry, who was looking at him expectantly, with a small smile on his face. Neal nearlly backed out then, but stayed strong. "Now, I know I'm usually the cool parent and I'm not usually one for punishments, but considering you did endager your life only a few days ago, I think this is more than needed. This is Charlie, the new family horse."

Henry raised an eyebrow. "You're punishing me by giving me a horse?" he questioned.

"He's a family horse; so you're sharing him, but that's still not quite right." Neal protested. "Charlie takes a lot of responsibility; it's not all horse riding and acting like a Knight, even though I'm sure that will be fun for you and Teddy. You'll need to muck out his stall, brush him and feed him."

"So, my punishment is babysitting?"

"Henry, take this seriously. I'm new at this too, okay, and I'm trying my hardest." Neal snapped, before he could stop himself. Henry cringed, looking down at his feet and Neal sighed, feeling guilty. He wanted to punish Henry, but he didn't want to become one of those parents who always got annoyed at his children and snapped. He wanted his children to feel free to talk to him about anything, to make any kind of joke without fear of him taking it funny and loosing his temper. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be techy, but I'm your dad, not your friend or the fun uncle. You're punishment is that, until you show me that you are responsible enough to care for Charlie, you're not allowed to ride him. And, until you show me that your responsible enough to take care of a horse, you will not be allowed to be around Teddy and Clara on your own." As soon as the words left Neal's mouth, Henry's face crumbled as tears welled up in his eyes as he looked back down, hurt clear on his face. He was devastated. Neal sighed again, kneeling down on the floor so that he was able to look Henry in the eye. "I'm not doing this to be horrible, Henry. I'm really not. I can't ground you, and I can't stop you from going to parties or hanging out outside the house rather than going straight home from school. But what you did the other day was reckless; you endangered your life, _and_ Teddy's. Being a big brother is a big responsibility, even bigger than looking after a horse. Teddy and Clara are going to be looking upto you for the rest of you life, and I need to know that you can handle that. I need to know that you will be able to look after them and that all of you will be safe."

Henry's brows were furrowed, and he was still clearly upset. Neal wrapped his arms around the boy and held him tightly to himself, but he wasn't about to take it all back. He needed all of his children to be safe, he needed to make sure that Henry wasn't going to be as reckless as he had been so far, and then maybe - just maybe - they would be completely safe, and they will be able to stay in Storybrooke. Neal wasn't holding his breath, though.

...

 **July 2006**

Emma sat huddled on the floor next to the door, her knee bouncing frantically as she listened to the baby cry. The sound cut through Emma like a dagger; for months after leaving prison, she had flinched at the sound of a baby's cries. The only thing she had to remember her child, her first baby, was the sounds of his cries after he was born. She couldn't tell anyone what he looked like, what he smelled like, what he felt like in her arms... because she was refused to let the doctor bring him near her. It had been one of her first requests, as she was handcuffed to the hospital bed, that they took him from the room the moment he was out. She hadn't even wanted to know what gender the baby was, thinking it would be easier to think of the baby as a dream, something more imaginary rather than a real, life person. Her flesh and blood. But the doctor, clueless to the fact that she was tossing her baby away like he was nothing, had told her instantly. A boy. Her boy. A boy who would now be coming up to his fifth birthday. She was left with the what if's, but more than anything she was haunted by his cries. She had thought that she had gotten over that - or gotten used to covering it up, at the very least - but now the sound of Theodore's crying was making it harder for her to keep her composure.

Neal had, so far, been a gift from the gods; he just knew the right ways of stopping Thoedore from crying so that she didn't need to ensure it for so long. He had been doing everything, while she kept her distance. It was only a matter of time before he noticed. This morning, she had woken up to Neal, dressed for work, telling her that he should be back by five. He had noticed that she wasn't interested in the baby, and he had decided to take matters into his own hands. He had thrown her into the deep end, and she was _so_ angry at him. He may have only been trying to help, but he was just making things worse.

For the first time, she was actually considering running. She'd packed her bags and wrote a note for Neal; she was going to leave the moment that he got back. There was one thing that Emma had learnt from today - she could never be a mother. She couldn't stay here, with the baby and Neal. They were all going to end up resenting each other and their perfect little family which Neal was convinced that they were going to have, would come crumbling down. She knew it was going to hurt Neal a lot for her to leave, having suffered when his own mother had left the family, but she also knew that if she made him choose between her and the baby, he would choose the baby every time. Because he _was_ a good parent, he was what their child - _his_ child - deserved. It would be easier for all of them for her to just go. So, here she was, ignoring the baby's crying while she waited for Neal to come home - she would leave straight away, she decided. As soon as he got through the door, she would barge past him without listening to his pleas for her to stay. She wouldn't break her resolve, not on this. And he couldn't follow her like he usually would've done - they didn't have any friends in the building, there would be no one to watch the baby, and he couldn't run after Emma and deal with the kid at the same time.

The baby's crying continued through out the day, and Emma felt relieved when there was a loud knock on the door. She prayed that it was Neal, as she walked to the door - it wouldn't be the first time that he had forgotten his keys. Her relief, however, turned to confusion when she opened the door to see an awkward looking woman, who had to be in her late fifties at the earliest, standing on the other end.

"Hi, sorry." The woman said, looking at her wide eyed, like she was already regretting knocking on the door. Emma waited patiently, glad of the excuse to get away from Theodore. "I live in the apartment down the hall and the baby is making an awful lot of noise."

Emma's gaze hardered. "And?"

"Erm... well, we were hoping that you would try and keep the poor thing quiet - "

"What do you want me to do?" Emma snapped. "Muzzle him?"

In that moment, the woman's demeanor completely changed, and she glared at Emma, startling the twenty-three year old. "Try being a parent and comforting him. He's been crying since seven this morning, there's clearly something wrong. Maybe he needs his mother." The woman said, her tone icy before she turned and walked down the hall.

"I'm not his mother." Emma yelled after her, not anymore. Not really. The woman paused, and turned back to her, a sneer on her face. It was hard to believe it was the same woman that she had opened the door to.

"Oh," she said, as if everything was starting to make sense. "You're a foster parent." She said, walking back. Emma froze; it felt like all of the air in her lungs had been sucked away as she stared at the woman before her, wide eyed. "We've had a couple of your kind before. Taking in children and leaving them to fend for themselves while you live off the money they bring into your homes. I see you've had to go a step further and bring back a baby. Maybe you should have a heart and give the kid up, then maybe he'll have a chance of being adopted and having a proper home, with a proper parent."

Emma stayed in the hall way long after the woman left, hearing huffs and moans from the other apartments as Theodore continued to cry on. She had never once compared herself to some of the worst foster parents she had ever had, but with the woman's words echoing through her, all of the feelings of hurt and abandonment that she had felt during her time in the system came rushing back. She remembered some of the quite frequent occasions when she was put into a foster home with a baby, who had also been fostered. The foster parent's would leave the babies to cry for hours, leaving the other foster children to care for it instead. As Emma had gtten older, she had had to care for quite a lot of babies, who cried more for the love and attention than for the basic needs. Like they knew that they were alone in the world. Emma's gaze turned back to the open door of her apartment, seeing Theodore's basket on the floor next to the couch. His cries, while still going strong, were crackly from the long amount of use and strain on his throat. Emma's heart sunk into her stomache. She had left him all day... she was no better than those foster parent.

With that realisation, she walked back into the apartment, slamming the door behind her in her rush to get over to the baby. There could be something seriously wrong with him, Emma thought to herself, her worries and anxieties finally catching up to her. She was the worst mother in the world. Emma picked him up from the backet, making sure to support his head - as Neal had been repeatedly told by the nurses at the hospital - before freezing, once again, when she finally looked at her son's face. His crying had stopped the moment he was in her arms and were replaced with hiccups. He gazed up at her in wonder and adoration - having no idea that she had abandoned him for hours - while she gazed back. She had never seen her first baby, just as she had never seen Theodore before now; but now she knew that, if she had looked at her son, even for a split second, she would never have given him up. Theodore was so small, and innocent. He was beautiful. And he was hers.

"Hi." She whispered, tears starting to trail down her face. "Hi, baby. I'm your mommy. You'll have to bear with me, kid. I'm new at this."

...

"Hey." Emma smiled brightly when Mary Margaret arrived home, having been waiting up for her to arrive since after eight. Her smile fell when she saw that Mary Margaret had been crying. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"He remembered." Mary Margaret whispered, making Emma's heart sink. "He's remembered Kathryn and he's going back to her."

Emma instantly got up from her seat when her friend broke down in tears and pulled the other woman in for a hug, trying to comfort her the best that she could but fearing that she could make things worse.

...

"This is volunteering?" Neal demanded when he saw who the Mayor 'thief' actually was. He should've know that Graham was sleeping with Regina; he was always touchy when the Regina subject came up, and always looked awkward when they talked about her parenting skills concerning Henry. Neal felt stupid for not thinking about it before, and betrayed that Graham - knowing the position they were in with Regina - would let them talk the way they did. He could've been relaying everything back to the Mayor.

"Plans changed." Graham sighed, avoiding Neal's gaze as he got up from the floor. "Regina needed me to - "

"Sleep with her?" Neal scoffed in disgust. Graham frowned.

"No."

"In that case, why were you sneaking out the window?" Neal challenged, wondering how much this guy was going to lie to his face.

"Because..." Graham began before giving up. "She didn't want Henry to know."

Neal scoffed without humor. "And you do it with Henry in the house. Perfect."

"He's sleeping. He doesn't know."

"Lucky Henry."

They stood in silence for a long while before Graham spoke. "I really do work at an animal shelter." He told him, sheepishly. Neal rolled his eyes before tossing his boss the keys to the squad car.

"I have better things to do with my time than covering for you with you're with her. Don't ask either of us to do it for you again." He said before walking off briskly.

"Please don't tell Emma." Graham called after him, making Neal turn and glare at him.

"Why do you care what Emma thinks?"

Graham gave him a look. "You know why." And he did; while Neal will forgive him for this - after all, everyone has been in relationships they've regretted - Emma will take a lot more time.

"I don't keep secrets from my wife." Liar, Neal wanted to say; but, for the most part, it was true. Neal kept his past from her, but tried to make up for it by being as honest as possible on other things, instead. Something told him that work was going to be extremely awkward tomorrow.

...

 **July 2006**

When Neal arrived home, a present for Theodore held awkwardly under his arm, he was expecting to be in his wife's bad books, but his worries and fears over the situation that he had put himself in the moment that he left the apartment that morning only grew to dangerous heights when he bumped into Mrs Turner (a woman in her fifties, who lived down the hall with her senile husband). They had always been on good terms on the few times that they had seen each other, but to his surprise, when he saw her that day, she glared at him.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves." She had told him, making him stop and stare at her in confusion.

"Sorry?" he asked, completely lost.s

"Letting a baby cry all day. Disgusting." She said, and was about to carry on when Neal pushed past her and rushed to his and Emma's apartment, fumbling with the keys as he unlocked the door. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting to see on the other side, but the sight that greeted him when he walked into the apartment was certainly not what he had pictured.

Emma was sat on the sofa, Theodore in her arms. She smiled when she noticed him. "Hey, how was work?" she asked, turning her gaze back to the baby in her arms. Neal had never seen Emma look at anyone the way she was currently looking at the baby. It was like he was the only light in a completely dark world.

"Erm... good. How was your day?" he asked, unsure of how he should be taking this. He had hoped that today would help Emma bond with the baby; he had never expected her to be like this, as if the last few weeks had been a bad dream of his, and she had been as invested in their new son as he had been since the day of his birth.

"A little rocky at first." Emma admitted as she adjusted the baby. She had been holding him in the same position for a little too long. "But me and Teddy got there in the end."

Neal smiled. "Teddy?" he questioned.

"Teddy." Emma nodded with a smile, which was replaced by a frown when she saw the box next to Neal's feet. "What is that?"

Neal, having forgotten his little shopping trip, looked down at the large box as if realising that it was there. "Oh, yeah. I brought an early Christmas present for Teddy."

Emma walked closer, and Neal was too happy to fully interpret her rising tension. "A mountain bike?" she questioned slowly.

"I know, it's great, isn't it?" Neal said enthusiastically. "He'll love it."

"For ages twelve and above." Emma read off the box, her voice taking a dangerous turn. Neal finally noticed.

His smile faded and he shrugged, a little helplessly. "He'll grow into it." He said, shrinking back slightly as he met his wife's glare.

Neal _did_ end up in his wife's bad books after all, but as he lay on the sofa that night, listening to Emma singing softly to their son for hours on end, he couldn't bring himself to be overly worried.

...

AN: So, what do you guys think? This was, yet another, episode which didn't really feature Emma a whole lot, so I wanted to throw in another flashback session from Neal and Emma's past. Originally, I'd planned to use flashbacks from the missing ten years of Neal and Emma's life which linked to the original storyline (e.g. a flashback which showed an important part of Neal and Emma's relationship, during an episode which reflected mostly on Snow and Charming) but I thought that showing the parallel's of Emma getting used to being a parent to Teddy to Neal getting used to being a parent to Henry, and also the parallel of wanting to run away. I hope I managed to get that across right, and that it worked well. Please let me know what you think, I'm loving all of the reviews and support for this story so far :)

 **Reviews...**

 **No** \- I think someone believing in Henry and being invested in the plan was definitely something that was needed in series one, and (with Neal knowing the truth) was completely unavoidable for him when he arrived in Storybrooke, regardless of his feelings about his past and Rumple. Unfortunately, Neal is human and will make mistakes, including ones which we may not like :/ It's just whether or not he manages to come back from it before he does something which he regrets...

 **CityOfLights -** Welcome to Fanfiction! You never forget your first story; mine was a Doctor Who fic which I found a link of on YouTube from Titanic-fanatic, in case you were interested ;) I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, and hope this chapter lived upto your expectations. Although, I'm not too sure about Regina being unable to follow them; after all, she was able to get Henry from Boston when she had adopted him. I think Neal just thinks that they would be able to hide from her better, since they know the world a lot better than she does considering she's spent most of her twenty eight years here in Storybrooke alone. But they would be most definitely safe from her, considering she is unable to use magic :)

 **-** Thank you :D The plot twist with Neal doing a deal with Gold is definitely something which will come back to bite him later on and my heart was nearlly broken too because of Henry :( I hated writing the part where Teddy almost stopped believing in Henry and Operation Cobra, especially when I imagined what Henry's feelings would've been - luckily, Neal managed to turn it all around :)

 **FictionLover12 -** I'm going to take a guess and say you don't like Neal's thoughts at the moment, lol :) Graham... you'll have to wait and see. I think that there are some things in the show which are unavoidable and some which are; you'll have to tell me what you think of the next chapter and maybe I could defend myself... I have a plan for series two; after all, there are a lot of issues which Neal and Emma have to go through, and that's without adding the fact that Neal has been lying about knowing her background and the curse for ten years :/ That's sure not going to be pretty. And then there's also Rumple, and Hook... you'll have to wait and see ;) I love Hook too - I can't say much about what's going on with the show, I haven't gotten past the middle of series two yet (although I've heard spoilers already)

 **Ariadna -** Hi! :D Bet you're regretting saying that too soon, hah? I'm glad you're still loving it, and I agree that killing off Neal was a VERY had decision on the producers part - it almost made me give up on the show too :/ His view on the events of the show will most definitely be different this time around, because (even though he's pretty much the same Neal) he's gone through a lot more than Neal has, and has developed and grown up in ways which the shows Neal hadn't; something which I'm looking forward to exploring in more detail in later chapters. And, I can say, his tension with Rumple is only going to get more and more interesting ;) Yep, the August situation was fun to write, too. Lol. And, finally (thank you for such a long chapter, I think I love you all the more :D) great minds think alike... I always thought that the fact that no one scolded Henry in the show was a bit weird, he _had_ almost killed himself and Archie. I hope Neal's decision was okay - it is a little weird, but I wanted to show that he was trying and that, even though he's made it look easy adjusting to Henry, he's still learning.

 **crazyhpcfan -** I'm glad you have :) and, unfortunately, it possibly might...

 **yuiop -** Thank you :D and thank you for all of the reviews :) I hope you like this chapter too.

 **-** :D Wow, I'm glad you've enjoyed it so much and I hope you liked this one as well :) I loved writing the Teddy/Henry bonding moments, I'm planning many more...

 **Onceuponlover -** Good idea ;) ... I think he definitely needs it; he's really got his mind set that they're in danger in Storybrooke...

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thank you :) Yes; I've always been curious about the married man that she hinted at on the show and had originally expected it to be related to Henry's father - I have got my own twist on things (which I can say, _will_ appear) and Neal definitely isn't happy of the reminder ;)


	7. Chapter 7

AN - Okay, finally managed to get this updated. I had finished it before the other chapter and was just planning on editing it to improve it, but it took me ages before I was able to do that :/ Anyway, before I start I would just like to ask again what anyone thinks I should do about a Rumple/Neal reunion... do you think I should keep it around the same timeline as the show, have Rumple find out about Neal around the same time as the August reunion or go down a different path completely and have Rumple find out about Neal another way? Let me know what you think; I have all of the series (plus some of series two and three) planned out except for that storyline, and I'm really confused about what I should do and it will be a great help :)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

...

 **The Heart is a Lonely Hunter**

As Neal took a large swig of his beer, he watched Graham, who had been brooding all day because of Emma's after Neal had told her about their friend's relationship with the Mayor. Neal had hoped that tonight would loosen him up a little, and bring back the laid back Sheriff which he had come to know as his friend. Instead of this brooding, overly depressing person standing in front of him; getting overly drunk but still managing to hit his target everything, something Neal, who was already starting to feel fuzzy, wasn't quite sure how he managed to do it.

Things at the station had become tense, with Neal acting as a referee when things got too heated between the Sheriff and one of his new deputies, although even having had time to adjust to it, Neal still couldn't help feeling as disgusted and disappointed as Emma. He, on the other hand, had cooled down and, even though all he wanted to do was tell Graham that he could do better, he didn't voice his opinions - after all, Graham was a grown man who made his own decisions. Neal wanted his friend to realise his mistakes for himself, and hopefully before Emma finally broke the curse. That was one of the things that worried Neal the most; from what Neal could tell, Graham was (and had been in the Enchanted Forest) a good person, who wouldn't have involved himself with the Evil Queen if he'd had a choice. Neal couldn't remember what had happened to the Huntsman after he had gave the queen the wrong heart, but he could only guess that the Queen had decided to 'keep' Graham. Neal grimaced in disgust, but covered it up by taking another gulp of his drink. Something told him that they would need more nights like this.

"Nice shot, chief." Sidney said when Graham hit the deer on the dart board twice in a row, raising a glass from the booth behind where Neal was sitting. "I bet you twenty bucks you can't do it again."

Graham scowled at him, clearly offended that Sidney was questioning his skills. Neal smirked, knowing that Sidney was about to lose his money and unable to stop himself from feeling gleeful about it. Graham downed his drink before throwing the final dart and hitting the deer in the head. Neal snorted at the look on Sidney's face. "Next round's on him." Graham told Ruby, making Sidney sigh heavily, before Graham froze when Emma came out of the girls bathroom - her mood clearly going downhill when she saw Graham.

"Hey, babe. Want a drink?" Neal asked, hoping she would stay and they could break the ice. Ashley had offered to babysit to give them some time off, as they had done a few times for her when Alexandra was getting too much for her; they knew what it was like, and that was with two of them - Ashley frequently had to do it all by herself while Sean worked. Emma had hoped that the two of them would be able to spend some time together but, in the end, Neal had ended up taking Graham out instead. Emma, who was avoiding Graham like the plague, had quickly opted out.

"No thanks." She said, walking straight past Graham and giving Neal a kiss. "I'll see you tonight, take it easy on the drink."

"No promises." He smiled cheekily. Emma rolled her eyes before going to leave.

Neal froze, however, when he saw Graham aim one of the darts in Emma's direction. "Graham!" He said sharply as the Sheriff let go off the dart and it hit the door handle, right next to his wife's head.

She turned around, her eyes blazing. "What the hell?! You could've hit me!"

"I never miss." Graham said dismissively, while Neal wanted to punch him. He didn't care what was happening with Regina, or how the man was feeling; he wasn't going to just let him throw darts at his wife. Neal stood up but ended up spilling his beer down his front, turning his hazy mind onto the large wet patch on his front. He began fussing over the mess, Sidney patiently handing him napkins while Ruby watched in amusement. Emma rolled her eyes; she could only imagine the state he was going to arrive home in when he was done. Graham, on the other hand, ignored him completely and walked closer to Emma. "You've been avoiding me since last night, when Neal saw me - "

"Leaving the Mayor? And yes, that is a euphemism. I'm not avoiding you, Graham, I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life - I really don't care." She said, although Neal knew it was a lie. Emma felt betrayed by Graham; it was like losing an ally against an enemy, someone who she thought had her back but was clearly more interested in the other party. She gave him one last glare before leaving the diner, slamming the door behind her.

"Leave her." Neal stopped Graham when he tried to follow her out. Graham took one look at his friend's face - which, despite Neal's drunkness, was determined - and sighed, sitting down opposite him.

"If she doesn't care, then why is she so upset?" he demanded, confused.

Neal downed what was left of his drink before he answered. "She feels betrayed." He answered honestly. "We're having our own issues with Regina which she thought you would be on our side with because you're our friend; now that idea is out of the window. Not only that, you hired us and lied to us about it."

"I should have told you about that before you took the job."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I didn't want either of you to look at me differently." Graham sighed. "You don't know what it's like with her. I don't feel anything. Can you understand that?"

Neal frowned, that only backed his theory of their relationship being unwanted by the Huntsman, being forced upon Graham because of the curse. He couldn't imagine what Graham was going through; being in a relationship but not feeling anything, not understand why he kept going back to her and didn't just break it off. It could even be that he hated her in the Enchanted Forest, despised the very thought of her and was disgusted in her - many did. How was he supposed to help Graham when he was powerless when it came to the curse? He wasn't Emma, he was no savior. He was ordinary. And, at times like these, he felt helpless. Most of the time he felt, selfishly, happy and relieved that he didn't have all of that responsibility - but, when it's people that he cares about, like Graham and Mary Margaret, he would do anything possible in order to help. But he had promised himself that he wouldn't; because that will only make it harder when - _if_ \- they had to leave Storybrooke.

"Maybe you should break it off." He suggested, hopeful that with the way things have changed so far since they arrived, he might be able to convince his friend to leave Regina and then maybe he could be happy. Atleast with a suggestion, he isn't getting too involved in the situation. But Graham just grimaced.

"It's not that easy."

"Why isn't it?"

Graham paused for a moment before shrugging helplessly. "It just isn't." He said, unable to explain his reasons. Neal sighed.

"More drinks?" They were most definitely needed.

...

Emma walked downstairs the next day, rolling her eyes at Neal spread out across the sofa, but paused, her heart lifting, when she saw a bouquet of flowers on the table. A smile began to spread across her face as she walked over it.

She had been a little more than angry at Neal when he had come home last night; two o'clock in the morning, stumbling around trying to be quiet because of the kids, with Graham hanging on his side. The two of them had acted like little children being scolded when she had confronted them, and she felt ridiculous doing so; it didn't help that they were funny drunks. While she was telling them off - as if they were Henry's age - she was also trying desperately not to laugh. The tension between her and Graham had been long forgotten; although Neal had took a swing at him when the Sheriff had gave her a peck but, luckily, had fell forwards and passed out. Graham had been no help, having bolted not long after, and she'd had to try and get Neal on the sofa on her own. She couldn't be angry at Neal for long, it had been years since he'd had a proper night out which didn't involve something child-friendly.

She glanced over her shoulder at him, forcing herself not to smile when she saw him sitting up, his head in his hands. "You know," she said loudly, ignoring his groan. Even though he was sweet with the flowers, she really wanted to punish him as well. To her, that felt like justice. It was his own fault he had a hangover. "If you think flowers are going to make me feel better, you can think again."

He squinted up at her, confused. "What?" he grunted.

"The flowers." She repeated slowly, guestering to the bouquet. Neal blinked owlishly, before getting up and walking over to her, staring at bunch of multi-coloured flowers as if he couldn't be sure that they were there.

"Why is there flowers there?" he asked. Emma frowned.

"You didn't buy me flowers?" she asked. He shook his head. "Oh. But then..." her good mood faded as she glared at the flowers which had, only moments before, made her day. "Really?" she scoffed, grabbing the bouquet and throwing them into the trash.

"Oh! Hey, wait!" Mary Margaret rushed in, looking confused. "What are you doing?"

"Graham is unbelievable!" Emma exclaimed, to the confused Neal and Mary Margaret. "First he lies to my face, then he kisses me, and now he's giving her flowers?!"

Neal's eyes widened. "Wait, he kissed you?!"

"Those... were mine." Mary Margaret blushed, making both Neal and Emma turn to her, hopeful - Emma, also grateful, due to the fact that it drew her husband's attention away from what she had just revealed. Neal wasn't usually one who got overly possessive - at least not anymore. He was confident in their marriage and sure that they both loved each other too much to ever stray. He did, however, get jealous from the attention she was recieving from other men, now and again - more so when the person who is giving her the attention is someone close to him. Emma could only guess that it was because he was used to getting stabbed in the back, and was kind of expecting it to happen sooner or later. Emma didn't let it get to her too much, she was the same with the attention he got from other women.

"From David?" Neal asked, a smile appearing on his face.

Mary Margaret blushed even more, as she moved around the kitchen, trying to keep herself busy. "No, uh... Dr. Whale." She replied, making Neal's smile falter.

"Why would Dr. Whale...?" Emma began to ask before her eyes widened. Neal grimaced, wishing her wasn't in the room - this was going to be seriously awkward when Mary Margaret remembered that she was Snow White. At least she had the curse as an excuse, as did Prince Charming. Emma gaped at her friend. "Are you serious?" she asked quietly. Mary Margaret groaned.

"I know. It's a disaster."

"No! That's amazing!" Emma exclaimed.

Neal turned to his wife, wide eyed. "What?! Don't encourage this behavior!"

"Oh, shut up, you! It means that she's getting over David."

"First of all," Mary Margaret interrupted, before they could get into a spat. They could go on for hours, neither of them completely serious but both of them not willing to back down. While she found it sweet, it can also be annoying, "there's nothing to get over, and second of all, it's just a one night stand."

"Not according to those flowers." Neal muttered, moving around her as she got the flowers back out of the trash, to get his morning coffee.

"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have called him." Mary Margaret admitted, making both Neal and Emma gape at her again.

"Oh my god. You called him? That is definitely not a one night stand."

"Well, okay, I'm still learning. I never had one before. I felt guilty."

"You have nothing to feel guilty about." Neal said automatically; Dr. Whale, when Neal is finished with him, on the other hand...

"No there isn't." Emma said firmly. "Trust me. One nighters used to be as far as I would ever go."

"Well, yeah. That's because you're - " Mary Margaret froze, turning away quickly.

Emma stared at her while Neal avoided looking at them. "Because I'm what?"

"Never mind."

"Does anyone want a cuppa?" Neal asked quickly, but was ignored by Emma, who focused on Mary Margaret with narrowed eyes. Neal, who has frequently been on the recieving end of that look, felt extremely nervous for the more timid woman.

"Tell me, what do I do?"

"If you were anything like you are now," Mary Margaret began to explain carefully, ignoring the quiet 'she was' from Neal. "You're used to protecting yourself, with that wall you put up."

"Just because I don't get emotional over men - "

Mary Margaret smirked. "You don't get emotional over men? Uh, the floral abuse tells a different story."

"What story is that?" Emma challenged, but Mary Margaret's smile didn't fade.

"The one that's oblivious to everyone except your clueless husband - you were hoping that they were from Neal."

Neal looked up automatically, but Emma scoffed. "Come on!"

"There's that wall." Mary Margaret said, in a sing song voice.

"That's not a wall."

"I think it's a wall." Neal said, moving around the kitchen island to his reluctant wife. He pulled her to him from his grip on her hips, and no matter what she was feeling or thinking, she smiled in an instant. "I'll get you all the flowers that money can buy. I'll get you anything you want."

"You reek of beer."

"I'll get a shower." Neal nodded, Emma narrowed her eyes playfully.

"Hmm, anything to get out of getting the kids up."

"Yep."

...

When a large bouquet of white roses was put in front of her a few hours later, when she was sitting at her desk going through Leroy's file - he had just been released again that morning - she smiled but knew that, if she looked up, she would see Neal standing at her side, looking rather proud of himself.

"What's the occasion?" she asked, her eyes going back to the file.

Neal almost faltered, when he saw that his bouquet was getting no attention from his wife. He knew that it had been a while since he had gotten her anything nice, but he didn't think that she would be so indifferent when he did. If he remembered correctly, the last time he gave her flowers was for their anniversary; and he'd had to be reminded by his co-worker, three days later. She hadn't been too happy about that. He would've thought that him getting flowers, for no particular reason or occasion, would've earned him some points. "Do I need a special occasion to spoil my wife?" he asked with a smile.

"Spoil?" Emma scoffed, turned away so Neal didn't see the playfullness in her eyes. He faltered even more. "If this is you spoiling me, I think I should be worried about how you feel about our marriage."

Neal gaped at her, unable to think of what to say. A last couple of days at the station had been tense, but Emma had spent it mostly taking her anger out on Graham. Neal, who had been playing piggy in the middle, had managed to avoid being on the recieving end of Emma's fury. "Er... I-I... erm..."

Emma laughed. "Very smooth, Mr Cassidy." She said, leaning back in her chair and smiling up at him, her eyes glinting. Neal relaxed, and felt smiled back at her. "You're going to make a great lawyer one day."

"As long as I'm not against you, I think I'll be alright." He leaned down and kissed her, smiling into the kiss when he felt her pull on his collar, keeping him in place.

"We might need to practice a bit more, then." Emma smirked, pulling back from the kiss momentarily. When Neal had been studying, the only person he wasn't able to successfully interrogate was Emma; not that he stopped trying and it had led to many nights debating over things like... who took the last of the milk, who's turn it was give Clara a bath, who should've picked up Teddy's new shoes... They weren't like normal couples; instead of arguing, they spent their time playing lawyer and witness, much to the amusement of Teddy.

Neal smirked, knowing how many of those interrogations - especially those without Teddy around - ended. "I'm looking forward to it." He said, pulling Emma closer.

"Our taxes always hard at work, I see." Regina said dryly, walking into the station. Emma and Neal's good mood vanished when they looked at the Mayor's smug face, before they moved away from each other.

"Graham isn't here." Emma said, folding her arms against her chest. "I assumed he took a sick day, with _you_."

Regina's smug smile broardened. "Oh, so you're aware of us? Good, that's why I'm here. Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him."

"They don't have a relationship." Neal said firmly, not liking the way that Regina was looking between them. He knew that she was just trying to cause trouble between the two of them, trying to make things easier for her in the 'battle' for Henry. She just gave him a sarcastic look.

"Oh? So, nothing's ever happened between the two of them? Perhaps, when he brought you home last night, when you could barely walk and nearlly walked into three lamposts and several cars?"

"He kissed me." Emma snapped, glaring at the Mayor. "How did you ever know about that?"

"You forget, Mrs Cassidy; I have eyes everywhere."

"In our apartment?" Neal glared.

"Well, outside anyway."

"With all due respect," Emma said slowly, "Madam Mayor, the way I live my life is my business."

"It is until it infringes on my life." Regina said, all pretenses of pleasantness gone. She squared upto, not only Emma, but Neal as well. "Stay away from Graham. You may think you're doing nothing, but you're putting thoughts in his head. Thoughts that are not in his best interest. You are leading him on a path to self-destruction. Stay. Away." She said lowly, giving them one last glare before she stormed out.

"Can you believe her?!" Emma exclaimed once the woman had left, throwing her arms up in the air in disbelief. She slumped back in her chair, clearly fuming with the woman.

Neal stared after Regina for a long while; her words ringing in his head. She was _worried_ about Graham, not because of any possible relationship with Emma - because that would be ridiculous - but she was worried for him. Emma had been changing things since the moment she stepped foot in Storybrooke; it could be possible, he conceded, that the drunken kiss Graham had given her last night would have re-awakened some old memories. Memories which were supposed to be kept buried. Memories which Regina would hate to come up and, no matter how she felt about him, Neal knew that she wouldn't allow Graham to be left around the other residents of the town with those memories. Graham was in trouble, from Regina, and this had been her oh-so subtle way of warning them to back off.

"I'm worried about him." Neal told Emma, who snorted.

"When he's in a relationship with her, I wouldn't be surprised."

"No, when has Graham ever had a day off without letting us know?"

"We've only know him a couple of weeks." Emma pointed out, obviously not sharing his concern. But she didn't know about the curse, she didn't know, _really_ know, what Regina was capable of. If she did, she would be just as worried as Neal was - more so, perhaps, since she was now more invested in them staying put.

"There is something wrong with him." Neal said firmly. Emma took one look at his face and knew that he was completely serious, and honestly believed that Graham was in trouble.

She nodded slowly. "Okay, we'll find him."

...

Neal hesitated outside the shop for the longest of times. He really didn't want to go in there, he had avoided being in the same room as his father since he had agreed to make a deal. But he didn't want his father near Emma even more. His father clearly had an interest in his wife, that much was clear from how he looked at her, even when they were just walking down the road as a family. Neal knew, from how his father acted, that he was fully aware of what was happening around him, and obviously knew that Emma was going to be the one to save them all. Mr Gold was almost eager for that to happen, and Neal knew it was because of him. It put Neal on edge, since he knew the lengths which his father would go to get what he wanted. If he could stop Emma from being around Gold, he would do. So, he took a deep breath after several minutes of hovering near the door and pushed it open, walking into the Pawn brokers.

"Ah, Mr Cassidy." Mr Gold said from behind the counter, having been waiting there for a while. Neal didn't like the smirk on his face as he walked closer to the man. "Finally decided to come in?" he asked, mockingly.

"I'm here, aren't I?" Neal muttered, the objects in the shop making him feel even more on edge than he already was. There was something about them, something _wrong_. "I need to ask something."

"You're here to make another deal?" Mr Gold asked, his smirk widening and his eyes gleeful at the idea. Neal's teeth clenched together and he tried his best not to glare at the man in front of him.

"No, I'm here to ask something." He said slowly. "Have you see Graham today?"

"The Sheriff? Yes, I saw him this morning, in the woods."

Neal frowned. "The woods. What were you doing in the woods?" he asked, suspiciously. Mr Gold chuckled, but there was a darker edge to it as he observed Neal carefully.

"I believe that would be my business."

Neal wondered whether he should push it, but with the way Mr Gold - like his father before the curse - twisted everything so that it became confusing, or so suspicion pointed in a completely different direction, he knew that they could be stood there for hours. Time which could be wasted if not searching for his friend. Reluctantly, he sighed and asked, "What was Graham doing?"

"Searching for a wolf, if my memory serves me correctly." He said, making Neal freeze.

"A wolf? There are wolves in Storybrooke?"

"None. He did seem very distressed. Perhaps he isn't feeling his best."

Neal nodded slowly, trying to stop the panic from rising. "Thanks." He grunted.

"Any time, Deputy." Mr Gold said pleasantly as Neal turned around, with the intent of leaving the shop, but he stopped when he saw a beautiful mobile hanging from the side, crystal unicorns dangling gracefully down from the ceiling. He heard his father step behind him, but he couldn't take his eyes of the mobile; this represented everything that Emma could have had, and everything which was stolen from her because of the curse. "Beautiful, isn't it? The little girl who owned this was very lucky."

Neal felt a lump in his throat. "I don't think she would've had enough time to appreciate it." He said calmly, not looking around at his father.

Mr Gold was silent for a long moment before he spoke again. "You have a daughter, don't you, Mr Cassidy?" he asked, making Neal stiffen. "Would you like me to get this down?"

"Maybe another day." Neal said, gently touching one of the unicorns before he forced himself away from it, feeling Mr Gold's eyes on his back as he left the shop, feeling worse than he had when trying to convince himself to go in. He would never get over the feeling of that shop, especially after he came to realise what all of those objects really meant.

...

"Hey," Emma called over to her boss when she saw him walking out of the Mayor's house, looking daze. She walked over to him, wondering when he rolled his eyes, if he saw her concern. "Hear you're having a rough day."

Graham frowned. "Who says?"

"Pretty much everyone. I think maybe you need to go home and get some rest."

"I'm fine." Graham said, shaking off her concern. Emma sighed, even she could see that he wasn't.

"No, Graham, you're not fine." She said softly. "You just went to see a ten year old for help."

"He's the only one making any sense." He defended, clearly not aware of how unstable he was making himself sound by saying that a ten year old with fairy tale dellusions was making sense to him.

"What's going on? What's really going on?"

"It's my heart, Emma. I need to find it."

Emma nodded slowly, seeing that this was a Regina issue. Despite her concern for her friend, she couldn't help but feel happy that Graham was obviously starting to realise what a mistake he was making with the Mayor. Maybe, with hers and Neal's help, they could get him out of that witch's grasp. "Okay." She said carefully. "So, how are you going to do that?"

"I just need to follow the wolf." He said simply, making Emma pause. Wait, what?

"What? What wolf?" she asked, completely lost.

"From my dreams. It's going to help me find my heart."

Emma stared at him, her concern growing by every passing second. Maybe Neal was right, something was seriously wrong here. "I'm sorry. I thought we were talking in a mataphor here. You really think you don't have a heart?" she asked, her tone rising. Graham shrugged helplessly, looking so desperate that Emma's heart broke for him.

"It's the only thing that makes any sense. It's the only thing that explains why I don't feel anything."

"Listen to me, Graham. You have a heart. I can prove it." She added, a plan forming in her mind. She held her hand on his chest, right above his heart and smiled at him encouragingly. "See? It's beating. It's real." She told him, but Graham shook his head. Emma gently took Graham's left hand and placed it on his chest, where her hand had previously been. "Feel that? This is your heart."

Graham hesitated, a puzzled look on his face before he shook his head firmly, forcing his hand out of her grip. "No. It's the curse." He said firmly.

"You can't really believe that's true." She said, but when she looked behind him she froze. Standing across the street, looking at the calmly, was a white wolf. Okay, that was weird.

"What?" Graham asked, freezing himself when he followed her gaze, before relaxing instantly and walked after it when it turned and walked off. Emma stared after him for a moment before following.

"Graham! Graham, be careful." She said pleadingly, as she sped up to catch up with him.

"He's my friend. He won't hurt us." He said firmly, sounding so sure about it that she almost believed him.

They followed the wolf until it had gone dark, all the way to the town's graveyard before losing him when they came to a stop in front of a crypt. Graham looked closely at the crypt and stared at a symbol above the door in shock.

Emma looked at it. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's my heart. It's in there. I have to look in there." He decided, walking over to the door and trying to open it. Emma sighed.

"Oh, no! Stop. Stop!"

"I have to get in there, please - "

"Graham, come on! You really think that your heart is in there?" she asked. He nodded firmly. Emma hesitated and took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's find out." She knew that this was a bad idea, even when she kicked the doors in and realised that it was Regina's family crypt, but the determination in Graham's eyes prevented her from putting an end to the madness.

...

His father had been digging in the woods... The thought had been spinning around in Neal's head all day, taking his mind completely off his missing friend as his suspicions of his father grew. He had wandered around Storybrooke, trying to find Graham and asking everyone he bumped into if they had seen him... but it was like he was on autopilot. He felt guilty by how relieved he was when Emma had text him to tell him that she was with Graham, not because he was okay but because Neal could focus on his father instead. He was letting the man who had controlled every waking though once upon a time, get back inside his head again, and his mind was still on him when he was at home later that night, making dinner for the rest of the family.

"You can go, you know." Mary Margaret said, her voice amused when she appeared suddenly at his side, startling him so much that he nearlly knocked the pot off the stove.

"I... erm... what?" Neal asked, flushing slightly as he began to dish up their macaroni and cheese. Teddy's favourite.

"You've been acting weird all evening." Mary Margaret admitted. "It's like you're in the room, but you're not really _here._ I've never seen you like it before."

Neal shrugged. "I'm just worried about Graham." He claimed, but Mary Margaret shook her head in an instant.

"No. He's fine, and you know he's fine. You've still been weird even after Emma text so it must be something else."

Neal looked at the woman who had been so kind to him, who had welcomed her into her home like he was family - which he was, but she didn't know that - and had been one of his closest friends he had ever had since arriving in this world. A part of him wanted to shrug off her concern, but another wanted to tell her everything - every crazy, messed up detail of his life. She would never believe him, but she wouldn't call him crazy outright. She would be kind about it, as she had with Henry, and as she had with Graham. But, she would always look at him differently. Neal didn't want that. And there would be no way that she would keep quiet about it and not tell Emma. He would have to be subtle with this.

"If you knew something bad was happening," he started off carefully, keeping his voice low, fully aware that Teddy and Clara were only in the other room watching Cars. "But knew that getting yourself involved could harm your family, but if you don't do something, it could harm a lot of other people instead... what would you do?" he asked.

Mary Margaret's eyebrows burrowed as she looked at him in concern. "Neal... what's happened? Have you got yourself into trouble?"

"No." He told her, feeling warm as he watched her relax slightly. "It's... my past. My father."

"Emma mentioned your father. Nothing much, just that he wasn't a very good person." She added quickly, when she realised that just telling him that his wife had opened upto her about some of his secrets could cause trouble. Neal wasn't worried; he was happy Emma finally had someone other than him that she could open up to.

"He still isn't, and I think that he's upto something."

"Like what?"

Neal hesitated. "I can't say." He said slowly, wincing. Mary Margaret paused, looking a little hurt, before nodding.

"Okay, well, how do you know that he's upto something? Emma said you haven't spoken in years."

Neal nodded. "Nearlly two decades." Give or take a few centuries. "Let's just say, I overheard from someone that knows him that he's been acting suspicious." It wasn't actually a lie; Neal felt horrible that he could actually admit that he could decieve someone into thinking something without actually lying to them. Was that better or worse?

"And whatever it is could hurt your family?"

"Getting involved could hurt my family." Neal corrected. Staying in Storybrooke could hurt his family. The more he wondered what his father was doing, the more he was tempted to pack up and leave. He had managed to keep his cool over it since the collapsed mine, but his father was a lot worse than that. His father could destroy his entire family; he wanted them far away from the man, especially if he was upto something.

"And doing nothing?"

"Could hurt everyone else. Others, I mean." He added quickly on the end.

Mary Margaret nodded, leaning against the kitchen island. "I've never seen you so conflicted before." She studied him. Neal sighed, she'd never seen him as anything other than carefree and in dad-mode. Right then was the first time since Teddy was born that he allowed himself to be around his children when he was as anxious as he felt at that very moment. He knew from past experiences that he could lash out if he got himself too worked up. "Whatever this is, it's really bad, isn't it?"

Neal sighed. "Yes."

"Then how can you do nothing?" she asked softly.

He looked at her, expecting to see judgement in her eyes but instead saw only kindness. She wasn't accusing him for considering doing nothing and risking others getting hurt, she was trying to push him in the right direction. Like mother, like daughter; she was using his own fears and worries against him, in order to convince him to make the right decision. Knowing that his father was upto something shouldn't make him more eager to leave, in fact, because he knew what his father was capable of, it should make him want to stay in Storybrooke more. Leaving the town to deal with the Evil Queen, which they had done in the past and would surely manage to do once the curse was broken, was a lot easier to live with than leaving them to deal with Rumplestiltskin, the Dark One, who would surely slaughter them all if he felt that they were in his way. Neal knew, in that moment, that he couldn't leave. He couldn't take Emma and the kids and leave Storybrooke; leave all of the people who had become like family to him in the short time he had been in the town, to the mercy of his father. Emma was needed here, and he needed to stand by her side.

He looked at Mary Margaret, who was smiling at him knowingly. "I'll watch the kids." She promised, moving away from the kitchen and walking into the livingroom area, sitting on the floor next to Clara.

...

"Graham, when you saw Mr Gold in the woods earlier, where was he exactly?" Neal asked, as soon as Graham answered the phone.

Graham frowned. "Erm... why?" he asked, surprised by his friend's bluntness.

"I think he's upto something."

"Erm, he owns a cabin a mile down the road from the Toll Bridge. He was slightly off the trail from that."

"Okay, thanks... Sorry, are you okay?" Neal asked, as if just remembering that the Sheriff had been wandering around town all day as if he had been losing his mind. Graham, unoffended, chuckled.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." Graham said before turning to Emma, who was sitting on one of the desks with a cut on her head. "I'm sorry." He muttered, as she winced when he placed the ice pack over Emma's head, still feeling extremely guilty over the confrontation between his deputy and the Mayor. "I don't know what came over me. I kind of lost my mind."

Emma smiled at his reassuringly as she head the ice pack to the lump on her forehead. "It's okay. You were tired and feverish... and heartbroken." She conceded, knowing that, despite the fact that she didn't like Regina, Graham had obviously had feelings for her at one point, before everything clearly gone bad.

"I don't know why I let myself get caught up with her."

"Because it was easy, and safe. Not feeling anything's an attractive option when what you feel sucks." She said softly, flinching when Graham wiped a cut above her eye. She forced a smile when Graham backed away instantly, his face showing his concern for her. "Felt that." She tried to joke, but only managed to pull a small smile out of him before he hesitantly moved back in to deal with her 'battle scar'.

"All better." He smiled, pleased that they were finally finished.

Emma chuckled. "Come here, you softie." She said, pulling Graham into her arms. She frowned when she felt Graham freeze in her arms - she had seen him hug Neal quite a few times while they were messing around with the dart board, so she couldn't understand his reaction. Yeah, he had never hugged her, but surely it wasn't _that_ much of a shock. She loosened her grip and her eyes widened when he staggered back, a strange look on his face. "Graham? Are you okay?" she asked softly.

He gaped when he finally looked up at her. "I remember." He muttered.

"Graham?"

"I remember." He said, more loudly this time. Emma frowned, confused.

"You remember what?" she asked, but he doesn't answer. Instead, he pulled her back into his arms and hugs her tightly.

"Thank you." He whispered, before stiffening again. To Emma's horror, he sank to the floor; not breathing, and with no pulse. Emma screamed at him, shaking him to try and wake him up... but nothing was working.

Emma stared at him in shock, unable to believe what was happening. She continued to shake him, continued to plead and sob as she got no response. Nothing was working. He was gone.

...

It was almost pitch black as Neal began his search through the patch of woods at the back of his father's cabin. Neal had had an avertion to woods ever since he had arrived in this world, after escaping Neverland, and still hated them. He wasn't particularly happy about going through this one but he needed to find out what Gold was upto. So, taking a deep breath as he had done when he had first entered the shop earlier that day, he pushed his own feelings aside and focused on the task at hand.

Surprisingly, it had been rather easy to find the area where his father had been. The patch of forest at the back of Mr Gold's cabin had been left alone, probably during the entire twenty eight years that the residents of Storybrooke had been here, so it was very overgrown and unruly compared to some of the other trails in Storybrooke, which seemed to be kept under control. Because of the overgrown grass and bushes, it made things easier to track that his father had taken because of the broken branches and the sunken in grass patches compared to the longer strands. His father had either gotten careless in his old age, or had been arrogant enough to believe that no one would think of searching this area. Neal tended to think along the lines of the latter.

It only took him five minutes to find the disturbed earth, which was about ten feet away from the clearing and not far away from the creek. It was only a small hole, and Neal soon came to realise what it was that his father had been hiding. He felt almost stupid for not thinking about it before. The dagger. The stupid thing which had caused it all. He had once feared that dagger, resented it because of the hold it had over his father and the power that it held which tempted the man to the point where he was deranged. The dagger which his father had chosen over him, and had let him fall into the portal, alone, in order to keep and protect. His father still had it, and he had hidden it there. With that realisation, Neal frantically began digging into the small patch with his hands, his heart beating wildly when his felt his hands hit something a little harder underneath the dirt. He pulled it out, a large lump in his throat as he stared at the cloth covering what was clearly the dagger. Unable to breath, he pulled the cloth back and almost choked on what little breath he had left when it revealed the dagger, his father's name clear on the blade.

He jumped when his phone started ringing, and fumbled to quickly silence it. He didn't know it his father was hanging about, and the man would surely kill him if he saw Neal with the dagger. "Emma?" he answered, his voice breaking slightly.

His heart sank when he heard his wife sobbing on the other end. "Neal..." she managed to get out. "Graham's dead."

...

AN - So, Neal has decided to stay in Storybrooke, but for how long? Also, now he has the dagger... what could that possibly change later down the line? Let me know what you think, you know I love hearing your thoughts :)

 **Reviews...**

 **-** Thank you, I'm glad you liked it, and I hope you liked this one just as much. I agree; I think in the show, he was always more of a friend. This Neal is a lot more grown up and responsible. He wants to be a good parent because it has always been a fear for him that he will never be good enough, that he'll turn out like his father... That's really nice of you to say that, I hope this story stays your favourite ;)

 **actressen -** Thank you :) Hope this didn't disappoint.

 **ramen-luver101 -** Yes, that will be interesting... ;)

 **yuiop -** Thank you :D

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thank you, I hope you liked this one just as much :) Yeah, I always thought that, despite the tension between Rumple and Bae being extremely believable and needed, Rumple got the better reunion with August, unfortunately. Although, I'm still not sure about using that meeting for Rumple and Neal in this... I think that it was needed; it forced Rumple to put up a wall when he eventually did meet with Neal, and that stopped him from being able to say everything he had admitted to August - which, in my opinion, would've gone in his favour with Bae. I don't know, I'm still a little confused about what I'm going to do :/ Thanks for your input though, I really appreciate it :) Again, something I'm looking forward to - there's a lot of issues which Neal and Emma will need to work through, and that incident is one of them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Desperate Souls**

Neal grimaced as he walked into the pawn brokers for the first time in the two weeks since Graham had died. He really didn't want to be here; if there was one place in the world where he would rather avoid more than anything, it would be this shop. He had always gotten this weird feeling when he walked into his father's shop, he had sensed it just before Graham died when he had first seen Emma's mobile - at first, he had thought that it was because it was a representation of his father before the curse had struck. Of the Dark One. But now Neal had worked out the truth. This was Gold's collection - every item in the shop had once been owned by a resident of Storybrooke, before the curse. Walking past them made him shiver, feeling as if he was walking through a kind of graveyard. There was, of course, another reason why Neal wanted to avoid his father; he had never been very good at hiding things from Rumplestiltskin, even as a child. And now he had a very real, and dangerous reason, to keep away from the Dark One - something which was now hiding amongst his college things, where not even Emma or the children were interested enough to look.

"Gold? You here?" he called through the shop when he didn't see him. His hope when he had first walked into the town of being able to avoid his father as much as possible, seemed to be a pipes dream. Within the last two weeks, Neal had seen Gold on the street at almost every turn - it was hard to believe that the older man actually had a business to run with the amount of times he saw him wandering around the town after Graham's death - looking as if he was plotting something. Which put Neal on edge, making him wonder when he would have to get involved. Neal wondered if his father had discovered that the dagger was missing yet...

He didn't get any response but saw a curtain leading to another room and decided to check it out. The moment he entered the back room, he was hit with a disgusting scent that, despite it being very familiar, was harsh on his nose and made him cringe.

Mr Gold, who was sitting at the table with his work, noticed with a smirk. "Oh, this is lanolin, use for - "

"Waterproofing." Neal finished for him, trying to ignore the smell that seemed to be a lot stronger than he had remembered, though Neal didn't know whether that was because he hadn't smelt it in over a century. "I know."

"Right." Mr Gold hummed, though he looked surprised.

"You called the Sheriff's department." Neal said, wanting to get this to hurry up so that he could leave. Mr Gold clearly understood that he wanted to leave but obviously assumed that it was because of the smell, because he guestured for him to go back into the shop.

"I just wanted to, uh, express my condolences, really. The Sheriff was a good man." Mr Gold said once they had left the back room, making Neal turn to him in surprise. Gold nodded to Neal's badge on his belt. "You're still wearing the Deputy's badge."

"Yes." Neal said shortly, starting to guess where this conversation was going to lead. He suddenly had a feeling that he was going to be used as a pawn in his father's game against Regina.

"Well, he's been gone two weeks now, and I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge."

"Thanks for the condolences." He said, turning to leave when Mr Gold stopped him.

"I have his things." Neal turned and Gold walked over to a box on the counter. "The Sheriff. He rented an apartment that I own, another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."

"What makes you think that I would want a keepsake?" Neal asked, though he eyed the box sadly. To think that his friend's life could be packed up in one box.

Mr Gold shrugged. "He was your friend. But, if you don't want anything, I'll give them to Mayor Mills. Seems like she was the closest thing he had to a family."

"You and I both know that was far from true."

"No love lost there." Mr Gold mused as Neal walked forward, pulling the box towards him. Neal swallowed the lump in his throat when the first thing he saw was Graham's jacket. "I have a feeling that your boys would like these." Mr Gold said, leaning around Neal - either ignoring the younger man stiffen or not noticing either way - and picked up two walkie talkie's from the box. "I've seen you playing with your children, perhaps this would help in the next session of spys." Neal didn't eyed them but didn't take them, Mr Gold tried again, "They grow up so fast. You enjoy these with your boys. Your time together is precious, you know? That's the thing about children - before you know it, you lose them."

"Speaking from experience?" Neal asked, finally taking the walkie talkies off him.

"No," Mr Gold smiled tightly. "I don't have any children."

Neal, unexpectedly, felt a pain in his chest at that comment but pushed it aside. Hopefully this would mean that he was leaving Neal alone; that he wasn't going to search for him when the curse was broken. Neal looked at Mr Gold, noticing the man studying him hard, before he turned his attention away, his gaze turning to the unicorn mobile once again. "I'll be willing to buy that if it is still available." He found himself saying before he could stop himself. There was something about that mobile that made Neal feel sad; it reminded him that Emma's life with her parents had been cruelly snatched away from her. But he also didn't want to leave it in his father's possession. It belonged to his father, to his daughter now.

Mr Gold relaxed, a smile appearing on his face, and the moment was lost. "You can have it." He said when he got it down.

"No, I want to pay for it." Neal insisted, not wanting to owe the man anything else.

"Call it an early birthday present." Mr Gold said, making Neal freeze. It was Clara's birthday that week; and, after the struggle they'd had at the beginning of her life, he and Emma had felt that Clara needed a birthday party. They had been planning to have it at Granny's and had, so far, only spoken to Granny and Mary Margaret about it. He shouldn't really be surprised that his father knew about it. Gold chuckled when he saw Neal's expression. "I overheard you and your wife talking about it the other day. One year old; such an exciting day. I'm sure she would love it." And, with that, he walked back into the backroom, leaving Neal standing in the shop in silence.

...

Emma's heart broke when she saw how sad Henry looked as she sat down next to him on the castle. He hadn't been the same since he had heard that Graham had died; his death had hit him a lot more than anyone would've thought, though Emma guessed this was the first death the young boy had ever had to experience before. She was glad that Teddy and Clara were too young to properly understand; Teddy just thought that Graham was away for a little while, and didn't really know that he wasn't coming back. She wished that Henry was as oblivious.

"Hey," she smiled at him but he didn't even look at her. She held out the walkie talkie which Neal had brought to the station earlier in the day. "Your dad brought you something. There's one for you, and one for Teddy - but that doesn't mean that the two of you could talk at all hours of the night. We thought we could use them for Operation Cobra."

"Thanks." Henry muttered.

She waited for him to say something else but he didn't. She nudged his shoulder with her own. "Oh, come one! What's up? You've been ducking us for weeks."

"I think we should stop Cobra stuff for a while." He eventually said, taking Emma aback. "You don't play with the curse. Look what happened to Graham." He said, making Emma sigh. She should've known that Henry would've contributed Graham's death to the curse.

"Henry, I told you, they did an autopsy. It was totally natural causes."

"Okay, whatever." Henry shrugged impatiently. "You don't believe - good. That should keep you from messing with it, and getting killed."

Emma stared at the side of his face sadly. "You're worried about me?"

"And dad, Teddy and Clara. Dad said I need to be the big brother that they need; well, now it's time to be responsible and stop. She killed Graham because he was good, and you're all good."

"Henry - "

"Good loses. Good always loses, because good has to play fair. Evil doesn't, she's _evil_. This is probably best. I don't want to upset her anymore." He said, clearly upset about it but trying to stay strong as he handed her back the walkie talkie and walked off, leaving Emma staring after him, her heart completely shattered.

...

"I've never seen him like this," she told Neal when she had arrived at the station, throwing her keys on the table. "It's like he's lost faith in everything he's ever believed in. Normally, I would say that that is a good thing, but not like this! He doesn't think that good can ever win."

Neal frowned. "He's grieving. He'll come around eventually." He hoped. Emma shared the same dim view as he did.

"I doubt it." She muttered, sighing heavily before she walked closer to him, taking the Sheriff's badge off the desk in front of him. He had been staring at it, wishing more than anything that Graham was wearing it. She held it, looking at him with a sad smile. "It's time."

"You can have it."

"I was a wreck when Graham died," Emma reminded him, "you took charge. You can do this." She told him. When he didn't look convinced, she added, "You need to prove to our kid that good can win too."

Neal smiled. "Emotional blackmail. Nice." Emma just smiled in reply as he stood up and took the badge off her, about to pin it to his belt when a voice stopped him.

"Oh, I'm sorry. That's not for you." Regina said as she walked in, narrowing her eyes at Neal. Emma sighed.

"It's been two weeks; promotion's automatic." She reminded the Mayor, who was unconcerned by that information. Instead, she smiled pleasantly at them.

"Unless the Mayor appoints someone else within the time period, which I'm doing today."

"And who is that, exactly?" Neal asked.

"After due reflection, Sidney Glass."

Emma and Neal stared at her. "Sidney from the newspaper? How does that even make sense?" Emma asked, exasperated.

Regina shrugged. "Well, he's covered the Sheriff's Office for as long as anyone can remember."

"Covered. He's never actually ran it, as I have frequently since I became Deputy." Neal pointed out.

"And he'll do whatever you want him to." Emma rolled her eyes. "You just cannot stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?" Regina raised her eyebrows.

"Better? Are you referring to Graham's death as 'better'?"

"Of course not." Neal scoffed. This woman would really stoop to whatever level she needed to, to get to what she wanted.

"He was a good man, Mrs Cassidy," Regina continued, as if he had never spoken. Something she did a lot, Neal had noticed. "He made this town safe and, forgive me for saying it Mr Cassidy," she said, finally acknowledging his presence in the office, "but you have not earned the right to wear his badge."

"Graham seemed to think so when he picked us to be his Deputies."

"He was wrong."

Emma shook her head. "No, he knew what he was doing. He freed this office from your leash. You're not getting it back."

Regina smirked widely. "Actually, I just did. You're fired." She said, looking at both of them one more time before she snatched Graham's badge out of Neal's hands and stormed out of the station.

...

When Mary Margaret returned to her apartment, later that evening, she was met with an unusual sight. The TV was blaring loudly, with Neal slouched on the sofa with Teddy and Clara on either side, looking thoroughly depressed while watching The Rugrats, all three of them drinking chocolate milk. Meanwhile, Emma was in the kitchen, trying to pry the toaster open with a knife.

She walked over to her quickly. "Toaster broken?" she asked, looking between Emma and Neal warily. She had never seen them like this, and she wasn't sure what she could do to help.

Emma sighed, glaring at the object in her hands. "It wasn't when I started with it. Pretty sure it is now. Just needed to hit something." She told her friend, who nodded slowly.

"What's going on?"

"Regina fired us so she could put one of her own puppets in as Sherrif." Emma looked at Neal, who was oblivious to their conversation, staring absently at the TV screen. "It's Neal's job." She muttered as she continued to pound on the toaster.

"I've never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?"

"Look at him." Emma guestured to Neal. "It's like he's gone back ten years to when he couldn't find a job. He was good at the station, he enjoyed it. And he should be Sheriff."

Mary Margaret smiled sadly as she watched Emma struggle with the toaster for a little longer before there was a knock on the door. Emma glared at it, as if it was interrupting her at a very important moment; she slammed the toaster back onto the kitchen side and went to open the door, turning the TV off on her way. She ignored three rounds of protests at that when she opened the door to find Mr Gold standing there, holding a large binder under his arm.

"Good evening, Mrs Cassidy." He said, with a smile. "Sorry for the intrusion. There's something I'd like to discuss with your husband."

Neal shot up from his seat when he heard that, barely noticing Emma and Mary Margaret leaving the room with Teddy and Clara, leaving him alone with his father, who was still standing by the door expectantly. "Come in." He muttered.

"Thank you. I uh... I heard about what happened. Such an injustice."

Neal shrugged. "It's done." He said, making Mr Gold chuckle in amusement.

"Spoken like a true fighter."

"What chance do I have? She's the Mayor, everyone in town is terrified of her. I don't stand a chance against her. I might as well focus on finding another job rather than trying to get that one."

"Mr Cassidy, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy... can accomplish even more. How would you like a benefactor?"

Neal's eyes narrowed at the man in front of him. "A benefactor?"

"Do you mind?" Gold guestured to the table, and the two of them sat down. Neal watched suspciously as Mr Gold placed the binder on the table and opened it. "You know, it really is quite shocking how few people study the town charter. It's quite comprehensive. And the Mayor's authority? Well, maybe she's not quite as powerful as she seems."

"Why are you helping me?" Neal asked finally, unsure what he should make of his father's interest in him becoming Sheriff. Mr Gold studied him for a moment before he leaned forwards.

"You're main interest in this town is your son. I admire that, Mr Cassidy." He said, sounding so genuine that Neal considered the possibility that, for once, he could actually be telling the truth. "I have seen people go to the ends of the Earth for their children, and it is clear that, even though you haven't known him long, you would do the same for Henry. I merely wish to help your cause. Now," he said, moving away and looking down at the charter, "where was I?"

...

"Everyone deserved to feel safe in their own homes. That's why Sidney Glass is my choice for post of Sheriff. This man has put the needs of Storybrooke above his own for as long as any of us can remember, as chief editor of the Storybrooke Daily Mirror. Please welcome your new Sheriff!" Regina practically gushed as she went to pin the Sheriff's badge on Sidney, the small crowd in her office applauding politely.

"Hold on." Neal said loudly, walking further into the office.

Regina turned, her displeasure clear for all to see. "Oh, Mr Cassidy, this is not appropriate."

"Much like this ceremony. She does not have the power to appoint him." He told the rest of the crowd, who were whispering quietly to each other as they noticed the look of annoyance on Regina's face.

"The town charter clearly states, the Mayor shall appoint - "

"A candidate." Neal interrupted. "You can appoint a candidate, but then it goes to a vote."

"The term 'candidate' is applied loosely."

"No, it's not. There needs to be a vote before the next Sheriff is appointed and I'm running, whether you like it or not."

Regina looked like she had swallowed something sour, before she forced a smile on her face. "Fine. So is Sidney."

"I am?" the other man asked, confused. She gave him a look and he nodded. "I am."

"With my full support. I guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people."

"I guess we will."

...

Henry stared at the newspaper numbly when the rest of his family had joined them, seemingly barely aware when Teddy hugged him from his side tightly, overjoyed that he was finally out of school. While Neal and Emma were at the Sheriff's station, they had decided to finally put Teddy in day care for a couple of days a week, which made it easier when trying to sort out the town's problems without both of their kids under their feet. Teddy wasn't very keen on it, as they had been reminded every day that he came home in a bad mood. However, if he wasn't in day care, like today, he was restless because Henry wasn't around; they just couldn't win.

"How was school, buddy?" Neal asked, sitting on the other side of him with Emma, who had Clara on her lap.

"Okay." He muttered. Emma frowned, hoping that he would've cheered up at least slightly through-out the day but he was just as glum as he had been in the morning.

"What you reading?" Teddy asked, trying to peer over his shoulder. Henry quickly flipped the paper over before Teddy could see the article, pushing it over to Emma. He gave Teddy a smile before looking at his parents. "Sidney wrote it." He told them, his smile long gone. Emma frowned before turning the paper over, freezing when she saw her own mug shot with the headline; "Ex-Jailbird - Emma Cassidy birthed babe behind bars while father remained a fugative". Neal inhaled sharply at her side.

"Is it a lie?" Henry asked.

"Is what a lie?" Teddy asked, looking between them confused while his mother never looked up from the paper.

"Teddy, why don't you ask Ruby for three sundaes." Neal told the five year old, hoping to distract him with chocolate, which they had been avoiding giving him for weeks. Teddy's face lit up and he left without another word. Neal sighed, looking at Henry. "No, it's not a lie."

"I was born in jail?"

"Yes. These records were supposed to be sealed." Emma frowned, looking up at Henry warily. "Tell me you're not scarred for life."

"I'm not." The boy smiled. "Well, not by this."

"How dare they." Neal growled, glaring at the article darkly. "They're trying to get at me, but are using you and Henry too. This shouldn't even be about you!"

"Neal, calm down." Emma said gently, rubbing his back. "Let's just throw this out, and we will get our news from something more reliable. Like the internet."

Her attempt to distract them went unnoticed as Henry sighed heavily, looking at his father. "This is what I've been trying to tell you - good can't beat evil, because good doen't do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty, that's why you can't beat her. Ever."

"No, because we have someone on our side." Emma said happily. "Mr Gold said he's going to help."

Henry grimaced. "Mr Gold? He's even worse than she is." He said, and Neal couldn't help but agree. "Dad, you already owe him one favour. You don't want to owe him one more. Don't do this."

He went to get up and leave but he was stopped by Neal. "Sit down and eat your sundae." He said, getting up from the booth and storming out of the diner. Henry and Emma stared after him.

"What's he going to do?" Henry asked warily.

"Lose his temper." Emma sighed.

...

"You poisonous bitch!"

"Mr Cassidy." Regina said pleasantly, looking up from the papers on her desk with a smile. Neal clenched his jaw even tighter, noticing a slight glint in the woman's eyes. "What can I do to help you?"

"I don't care what you do to me. Throw anything my way, but leave Emma and my kids out of it!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't want people to know that you and your wife were the modern day Bonnie and Clyde, and that she cut his cord with a shiv?"

"This hurts Henry too, or do you not even care about that?"

Regina shrugged. "He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point." She said, unconcerned as she walked out of the office, Neal hot on her heels.

"Next time, focus on me only. My wife and I have build a life for ourselves, putting our past behind us. We do not need you bringing it up again, especially where Henry is concerned. Our son is depressed, Madam Mayor. Can't you see that?"

" _My_ son, is fine." Regina rolled her eyes, enfuriating Neal even more.

"No, he isn't, and it shows what kind of parent you are if you can't even face that he isn't and that you're the main reason behind it! You're sending an illegal smear compain against his adoptive parents, do you really not see how that would be upsetting for him?! And lets not even get into the fact that you convince him that he has lost his mind ever time he comes up with something the slightest bit creative!"

"All I did was expose him to the truth. His dellusions are far from just being slightly creative. And as for the legality - I did nothing wrong. I had been hoping to find something on you, but my sources came up with nothing from before your wanted poster." She looked at him. "I wonder why that is."

Neal stiffened. He knew why that was; he had spent most of his childhood in the Enchanted Forest and Neverland.

"But," Regina continued, without pause, "you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."

"Debate?" Neal frowned.

"Yes, Mr Cassidy, there's a debate." Regina scoffed, as if he was stupid for even thinking that there wasn't, as they walked down the stairs. "You two can talk about jail time and juvie records, and maybe even your new association with Mr Gold. He's a snake, Mr Cassidy. You need to be careful who yuo get into bed with."

"I hardly think that I need your advice, Madam Mayor. All I'm doing is fighting fire with - "

BANG!

Neal and Regina were thrown backwards onto the stairs as the Mayor had went to open the door, debris flying everywhere as the fire on the opposite side of the door blazed on. Neal blinked confused for a moment before he realised what was happening, and shot into action.

"Alright," he said to his son's adoptive mother, "come on, we need to get out of here."

"I can't move!" Regina shot back, drawing Neal's attention to her ankle, which was being held down by a large block of debris. "You have to get me out... Help me!" She gazed up at him, almost desperately, as he looked between her and the gap where the door had once been. He could easily get out without getting hurt. Regina grabbed his wrist, making him look down at her accusing eyes, which cut through him even more than her sharp nails. "You're going to leave me, aren't you?"

Neal hesitated before forcing his wrist out of her grip, and running through the flames. He was ashamed to admit that he had actually considered leaving her in there; they would all be a lot safer if Regina died, and the curse would be broken, which was also a positive. They would only have to deal with his father as a threat, rather than having both of them. His pause lasted longer than is should've done, before he eventually grabbed the fire extinguisher and turned attention back to the fire which was blocking his view from the Evil Queen.

"See, mate." Neal turned to Henry, once he had gotten Regina out of the fire and as the animated group of his now-supporters walked away talking about the campaign. He smiled down at the boy who had never lost that proud look on his face since he had arrived. "Good can win. You do something good and people see it, and then they want to help you."

Henry nodded. "Maybe you're right."

"We don't have to fight dirty." Neal pulled Henry to his side before he froze when his eyes landed on a pile of debris, a piece of fabric sticking out of it. Without a word, Neal moved away from his family and over to the debris, ignoring Emma's questions as he picked up the cloth, his gaze hardening as he finally realised who was really behind this.

...

"Loads of visitors today." Mr Gold mused when Neal stormed into the shop, slamming the door behind him. "Do hope you're not going to break my little bell."

"It was you." Neal snapped, throwing the piece of fabric on the counter in front of the older man, who glanced at it before he continued to wipe his hands on a rag.

"What was me, Mr Cassidy?" he asked, calmly.

"You're the one who set the fire."

Mr Gold scoffed. "I've been right here."

"So you paid someone else to do it. Either way, you nearlly killed me and Regina, which I'm sure you really don't give a crap about, anyway. I found that," he pointed at the cloth, "at the site, it's drenched in lanolin."

"Well," Mr Gold sighed, leaning against the counter, completely unconcerned by the accusations. "There's some construction working on at City Hall at the moment. There's loads of flammable solvents used in construction."

"I would recognise that smell anyway." Neal protested. Mr Gold raised an eyebrow, studying Neal intently, while the younger man tried not to squirm. "Why did you do this? What do you have to gain?"

Mr Gold sighed, before eventually answering the question. " _If_ I did this." He corrected, walking around the counter. "If I did this, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Some like... oh, I don't know. Being the hero in a fire?"

"Why do you want me to win so badly?"

"I'm just looking out for my community."

"By blowing it up?"

"That's a little harsh, we're talking metaphorically."

"I could've left her there."

"Not the type."

"I considered it." Neal admitted, without thinking. He cringed when he saw a glint in his father's eyes, like he wasn't actually surprised.

"It would be a lot easier for you and Emma to get custody of Henry if Regina was out of the way."

"I'm not playing along with your games."

"You just did." Mr Gold countered. "This is just the price of election, Mr Cassidy."

"Not one I'm willing to pay." Neal said firmly, turning to walk out of the shop. Mr Gold walked around the counter rather quickly.

"Okay, go ahead - expose me. But, if you do, just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be walking away from. Oh, yes, and who you might be disappointing." He said, making Neal stop at the door.

He turned to face his father, who he had once been as proud of as Henry had been when he had brought Regina out of the fire. His father had once been a good man, someone who deserved Neal's pride - now, when he looked at him, he couldn't find that pride that had once came into his heart so very easily. He saw fear, anger, resentment... He _never_ wanted his children to feel the same way. "My children mean more to me than anyone and anything." He told his father. "And I'm going to show them the right thing to do, not the easy one."

...

"Hey, kid. Nice poster." Neal commented when he found Henry the day of the debate, pinning a poster up on the notice board. It was a picture of a fireman carrying a blonde woman out of a burning building, with Neal's face photo-shopped onto the fireman. He smirked.

"I found the picture on line." Henry explained. "Then put your face over it, I thought it made it look more... heroic."

Neal smiled forcibly. His son believed that he was such a good person; he had almost proved him wrong repeatedly throughout the last few days, even going as far as letting his mother die. "I think I love rather handsome." He chose to say, instead. "Might even have it framed."

"Henry!" The two of them looked around to see Regina walking towards them. Henry quickly ripped the poster off the notice board, and the rest which Neal had been holding, and hid them behind his back, as he turned towards his mother. She narrowed her eyes at the ten year old. "You need to stay where you're supposed to."

Neal, wanting to help, tried to take the posters off Henry but had only succeeded in knocking them out of the boys hands, sending them scattering over the floor.

"Mr Cassidy." Regina rolled her eyes, as he and Henry bent down to retrieve them.

"Hi." He muttered, freezing, along with Henry, when she bent down and picked one of them up, "what's this," she asked, her face turning sour when she looked at it.

Finally, she looked up at Henry. "What a shame." She said, scrunching the poster up into a ball. "A waste of trees, and a waste of your time, Henry." She threw the ball of paper at her son's feet, obviously not noticing or caring the hurt on his face when she grabbed his wrist and pulled him towards the town hall. "Come along." She said shortly.

Neal's heart clenched as he stared after them, even more so when Henry peeked over his shoulder at Neal, the look in his eyes making Neal feel physically sick.

...

"I don't see the point in this." Neal admitted to Emma when they were waiting for the debate to start, hiden behind the stage curtains while the rest of the town got themselves seated, Mary Margaret and their kids included.

Emma sighed. "Why, because you don't think that you can win?" she asked, as if she was expecting that answer. Neal, despite all of the confidence he practically radiated, had very low self-esteem, something she could only think was due to his past.

"No, I think that I will." He said, surprising Emma. "I just don't think that it will be for the right reasons."

"How do you figure that?"

Neal hesitated before looking at Emma, his eyes showing the fear that he was truly feeling and making Emma suddenly worried. "There's something I haven't told you." He said, making Emma even more anxious.

"Okay, what?" she asked.

"Gold... he's my father."

They stood in silence for a long while, just staring at each other, before Emma stuttered out, "w-what? Why didn't you say anything?"

"We were here for Henry, it didn't seem important." Neal sighed. Emma's gaze softened.

"You were terrified of being in the same city as your father ten years ago, of course it's important." She reminded him. He didn't say anything to contradict that, though Emma knew him well enough to know that he thought his own feelings didn't matter, especially where his children were concerned. "Does he know?"

"No, and I would prefer that he didn't find out."

Emma nodded, understanding that completely. She may not know a lot about Neal's father, but what she did know told her that Neal's decision to keep his identity from him was needed. "If he doesn't know, why is he trying to help you now?" she asked, confused about the attention the man was giving to Neal, especially because he wasn't aware that Neal was his son.

"I don't know. But I do know that he usually gets his own way, and he will do anything to make sure that happens. He set the fire." He admitted, making Emma's eyes widen.

"What are you going to do?"

Neal grimaced. "What needs to be done. I will not let down my children like he let me down."

...

As Emma sat down at the back of the hall with Mary Margaret and her kids, her eyes automatically drifted over to the other side where Mr Gold had been sitting. From the stories Neal had told her when they were younger, she had expected a monster and, while Mr Gold may not be the most pleasant man in the world, she had expected someone a lot more threatening than him when she thought of her unknown father in law. But now, all of the anxious and almost frightened looks she had seen on her husband's face now made sense, and she felt a sharp, intense amount of anger when she looked at Gold. This was the man who had abandoned his son, who had almost driven the two of them apart ten years previous, and now he was still causing trouble for his son. Emma was half tempted to storm upto him and give him a piece of her mind, but now she knew the truth she understood the reason for the secrecy. A man like that couldn't be around their family.

"Are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked, seeing her expression, and was a little startled by it.

"Yes," Emma replied, forcing her gaze away from the man. "Just thinking of something unpleasant. Nothing which will affect us." She forced a smile onto her face as she looked down at Teddy, who smiled widely back. Mary Margaret could clearly see that there was something wrong, but didn't push the issue.

The curtain pulled back, revealing three nervous men on the stage. Archie, looking rather shaky, stood forward upto the podium inbetween both Neal and Sidney, and cleared his throat, fiddling with his flash cards.

He cleared his throat again. "Tragedy had brought us here," he said to the crowd, making both Emma and Neal share a look before forcing themselves to focus on the debate, "but we are faced with this decision. And, now, we ask only that you listen with an open mind and to please voice your conscience. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the candidates - Sidney Glass and Neal Cassidy. Okay, Mr Glass - your opening statement."

Emma clapped along with the crowd as Sidney stepped upto the prodium, waiting for the man to start sprouting out rubbish about her and Neal. Neal, who was sat on the left of the podium, watched the man careful. Emma took a deep breath, praying that her husband wouldn't lash out if something was said against her - that was the last thing they needed.

"I just want to say that, if elected, I want to serve as a reflection of the best qualities of Storybrooke." Sidney said, calmly. "Honesty, neighbourliness, and strength. Thank you." He said, before sitting down to the applause before Archie called Neal up.

"Go, Daddy!" Teddy cheered, making the crowd laugh. Neal chuckled, his tension ebbing away slightly as he reached the podium.

"Okay," Neal sighed, heavily. His eyes met Emma's for a split second and he nodded, lifting his head up higher. "As most of you have been made aware; both my wife and I have a troubled past, something which a lot of you have overlooked because of the fire. But, I need to say something about that. The fire was a set-up." He admitted, ignoring the gasps and whispers in the crowd as his eyes met those of his fathers. His father stared impassively back at him. "Mr Gold agreed to support me in this election, although I didn't know what that would mean. I wanted to go through this the right way, to set a good example for my children, and to be a worthy Sheriff for Storybrooke. I know that I can't be, because I let all of you believe that it was real. And, for that, I am sorry."

The crowd continued to whisper amongst each other. Regina was sitting smugly at the front, Henry sitting next to her looking at Neal with admiration. Emma smiled warmly at him, while Teddy frowned as he turned to his mother and asked, "Has daddy won?" Mr Gold, who was completely expressionless, stood up from his seat and walked out silently, leaving his son staring after him, feeling guilty even though he knew he had done the right thing.

...

"Another?" Ruby asked, as she picked up their empty glasses.

"Definitely." Neal said instantly. Emma rubbed his thigh, smiling gently at him; they hadn't spoke about Gold or Neal's childhood, though Emma knew that it was going to be something that would be a long discussion for them later that evening when the kids went to bed. Even as she had watched Neal down the first drink, she knew that he was preparing himself for what was bound to be a long night - it was for that reason that she didn't push him, or try and get him to cheer up, as she would've done in any other circumstances. Any mention of family, before the one that they started together, had been a touchy subject for both of them over the years, and required some hard liquor.

"Hey, Henry!" Teddy said happily, slurping on his milkshake as Henry sat down with the rest of the family. The older boy, to his little brother's delight, took a walkie talkie out of his book bag and placed it on the table in front of Teddy. "Can we play soon?"

"Maybe tomorrow, darling." Emma said softly. She turned to Henry. "What's this for?" she asked, confused by the sudden change in opinion. Henry shrugged, smiling at both her and Neal.

"You stood up to Mr Gold. It's pretty amazing." He told his father, who smiled back just as happily. He had waited for his son to regain that light in his eyes that had been lost since Graham's death; it made everything worth while.

"Well, he did something illegal." Emma muttered quietly, glancing at Neal carefully.

"It's what good does, though, isn't it?" Neal asked Henry and Teddy, both who looked thrilled. "Expose the villians for what they are, making the entire world see what is behind the mask."

Emma frowned at him. "Calling him a villian is a little extreme."

"You don't know him." Neal muttered back, as Henry sighed.

"I thought I might find you here." Regina said, appearing at their side suddenly. Neal resisited the urge to groan as he took a sip of his drink, keeping his eyes on his boys in front of him rather than the Evil Queen at his side. "With a drink. And my son."

" _Our_ son." Neal stressed.

"Here to cart us, officer?" Emma asked Sidney, who shrugged carelessly.

"Not at all. In fact, I think I'll join you." He said.

"I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party." Neal informed him, giving the man a genuine smile to show him that there was no hard feelings. The man smiled back just as genuinely.

"You'll have to tell me what that's like."

"Congratulations... Sheriff Cassidy." Regina said, grudgingly putting the Sheriff's badge on the table in front of Neal. The family stared at it blankly.

"Wait, what?" Henry asked, as the diner began to fill with the rest of the Storybrooke residents, all of which were talking excitedly.

Regina sighed. "It was a very close vote, but people really seem to like the idea of a Sheriff brave enough to stand upto Mr Gold."

"I've got it." Neal gaped, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Are you joking?" Emma asked.

"She doesn't joke." Sidney told her.

"You didn't pick a great friend in Mr Gold, Mr Cassidy, but he does make a superlative enemy. Enjoy that." Regina said to him, sounding almost giddy at the thought. She walked off, and only a moment later the family's table was crowded with what seemed to be most of the town.

...

Neal felt strange the next morning as he walked into the station with his wife; walking into the Sheriff's office rather than one of the desks which had once been his. Emma was silently, letting him process everything in his own way, as he walked around the office as she set up Clara's play pen in the corner. He had never actually imagined himself inside this office; there had been no reason to, Graham had always been a natural Sheriff who had no intention of leaving his job.

Neal placed his things on his new desk - including all of his files and pictures of his family - before freezing when he looked up and caught sight of Graham's jacket, hanging on the coat hanger.

"The Sheriff's jacket." His father's voice made him jump, before both he and Emma turned towards him. He was standing at the door of Grah - Neal's office, looking at him with a smile. Neal stiffened, unsure whether he should feel threatened or not. "I thought you might want it after all."

"We are armed." Emma called, placing Clara in the pen before walking over, looking at Mr Gold suspiciously.

He just chuckled. "It's all part of the act, my dear. Political theatre in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for Neal unless we gave you some kind of extraordinary quality, and I'm afraid saving old Regina's arse from the fire just wasn't going to do that. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me - and they did."

"This was all a set-up." Neal stated, staring at his father in disbelief. He didn't know why he was so surprised; he had known his father was calculating. A manipulator who plotting things months, sometimes years ahead, as long as he got something out of it at the end. But, perhaps it was because he had thought that he had accomplished something yesterday. That he had actually stood upto his father and turned the game in a completely different direction... he should've known that that was not the case. "The entire thing. You manipulated the whole thing so that I would become Sheriff."

"You couldn't have." Emma shook her head, staring between them in shock. Mr Gold just smirked.

"Everyone's afraid of Regina, but they're more afraid of me." He shrugged, and Neal was unsurprised by that - he still remembered the looks on the villagers faces when they saw _him_ , let alone his father. "By standing upto me, you won them over. It was the only way."

"And you knew I'd agree." Neal muttered.

"Oh, yeah. I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

"Why did you do this?" Emma asked, nerves beginning to filter in. Neal had explained a lot about his father last night; they had sat up for most of it, just talking. From what Neal had told her, Mr Gold was plotting something - to make matters worse, it had something to do with her husband.

Mr Gold turned to Neal. "We made a deal some time back, Mr Cassidy. We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling; owing someone. Now that you're Sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me." He smiled, flashing off his golden tooth. "Congratulations."

...

AN: Okay, so I rushed that a little because I wanted to get this chapter out before the weekend was over. Let me know if there are any mistakes, and I can get them sorted as soon as possible :) Not a lot of mentions about the dagger, but I can promise that it will become very relevent later on in the story, and Emma now knows about Gold... Let me know what you think of this chapter, I would love to hear your views :)

 **Reviews...**

 **-** Thanks :) I'm really interested in Neal's relationship with certain characters in the story, especially since there was a lack of them in the actual show. I have to say, this was one of my favourite chapters to write because of the relationship and tension between Neal and Rumple, and there are plenty more like it in the future ;) That's an interesting suggestion... that may be interesting to write...

 **steelneena -** Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying this so far :) I hope you continue to like this as you have done with the first several chapters :)

 **FictionLover12 -** He is a bit, isn't he :/ His father tends to bring out the worst in him, I hope this chapter showed him in a better light. I miss Ingrid too, I always felt sorry for her more than anything and she was given a bit of a rubbish ending :( And yeah, Emma did have it hard carrying around that secret from Neal - it wouldn't have been easier to build a family knowing that there was someone missing... Sorry that I killed Graham, I just couldn't see a way around it. It will be very interested when Snow and Charming find out that Neal was the reason the curse was created... very explosive ;)

 **crazyhpcfan -** Glad you liked it, and I hoped this one was just as good :) Yeah, that will cause a lot of issues in the future ;) I hope this chapter met your expectations :)

 **EH-01 -** He may do... or he may not... ;)

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thank you, I hope this one was just as good :) I did see it, I am remembering to check everyday now, just in case lol. Interesting idea; I'm still looking at my plot plan and trying to work out where would be the best to reveal everything. It's starting to come together. Although, I could just imagine Neal's reaction to trying to help his father find himself. Wonder how he would get himself out of that mess ;)

 **ramen-luver101 -** Yeah, Neal's reaction to August coming to Storybrooke is definitely something to watch out for ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**True North**

After what felt like forever after his father had left, Emma looked at him. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, unsure how to think or feel about the entire situation, and how to deal with it with her husband. This was uncharted territory; Neal and Emma had never had to deal with family matters before until they started one of their own. Neal had never had to step back and let her handle her own parents, or siblings, or whoever was out there for her; because she had never found them. And, after everything Neal had told her, she had never expected to find herself trying to do the same for Neal as he dealt with her father, and all of the issues that come with him. Because, with Gold, she knew that there would be plenty. She felt useless because, she knew that, if it was the other way around, Neal would be far better at being supportive to her but also stepping in when things would, or were about to, cross the line. Neal, on the other hand, was a closed book - she didn't know how much to push before he shut down from her completely. As infuriating as she found it, she had to wait for _him_.

Neal stared at the spot in the station where his father had been standing, and shook his head. "Not yet." He murmured, a tight frown on his face as if he was thinking of a time long ago, which Emma knew that he probably was. Luckily for them, the silence was broken by the sound of the Sheriff's phone ringing. Neal and Emma shared another glance, this one filled with anticipation. Neal's duties as Sheriff started today. He gave her a shaky smile, which she returned with one filled with pride, before he answered the phone. "Hello, Sheriff's station." He said clearly before he frowned. "I'm sorry. Henry was caught doing what?"

...

"I'm sorry, Madam Mayor, but your son was shoplifting." Mr Clark said, awkwardly as Regina observed the four of them, completely stoic except for the hardness in her eyes and the tightness in her jaw. She turned to Henry, who stared back confidently.

"Were you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Henry shook her head in response, making Regina turn back to Mr Clark, her expression now challenging. Mr Clark scoffed, walking over to the counter.

"Look for yourself." He said, guestering to Henry's upturned bag; the content of which was full of goodies. Regina glanced through them quickly before picking her son's bag up off the counter and walked back stiffly.

"My son doesn't eat candy, and he knows better than to steal." She said firmly, her gaze switching to the two other children, who were nervously looking down at their shoes. "It was obviously those two. We're going."

As she and Henry reached the door for the pharmacy, they were met by Emma and Neal, who was carrying a content Clara on his hip, both of whose attention went straight to Henry, looking at him in concern.

"Hey, buddy." Neal said. "What happened?"

Regina sighed in exasperation. "Mr Cassidy, must I remind you that genetics mean nothing. You two are not his parents and it's all taken care of."

Neal rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I'm here because I'm the Sheriff." He reminded her.

"Oh, that's right. Very professional, I must say." She said, smiling sweetly at Clara, who smiled back innocently. Neal's grip on his daughter tightened protectively; he'd noticed that Regina was less hostile and malicious toward his children - despite her hatred towards Neal and Emma, she hadn't taken it out on Teddy and Clara - but he still didn't trust her within touching distance of them. His heart always seemed to sink into a bottomless pit when he reluctantly left Henry with her, knowing the emotional damage she had already inflicted on the poor boy.

"We're dealing with kids shoplifting, not armed robbery." Emma replied dryly. When they had first became deputies, Graham had allowed them to bring Clara to the station - for the most part, either Neal or Emma stayed at the station with her while the other went with Graham if there was ever an issue. The system worked, and they had planned to continue to use it... and then they'd heard that the issue they needed to deal with had involved Henry, and all plans went out of the window.

"Well, then, do your jobs. Take care of those miscreants." Regina sighed, shooting a look over her shoulder at the twins, who were watching them anxiously, before she and Henry left the shop. The harshness in her words, along with her coldness, gave Neal the impression that this was more personal than Regina let on, and he wondered what two young children could possibly have done to the Evil Queen to make her so bitter.

"Bye, Clara." Henry muttered glumly to the little girl, touching her hand gently as she reached out to grab him as he passed.

Emma, who had joined Neal because she had wanted to see that Henry was okay, tore her gaze away from their son reluctantly and turned to her husband and asked, "Do you think I'll be needed? Or should I take Clara back to the station?"

Neal eyed the twins, who were just older than Henry, and didn't appear to be as nervous as most children would be in this sitation. They had stolen before, and they had worked out what they were going to do if they ever got caught - Neal remembered from his own childhood, having worn their expression on his face quite a few times when he had gotten caught stealing from the closest shop next to his foster family or group home at the time, and coming up with an excuse which would convince the police officer not to call the social worker. He had once convinced a cop that his family was running low on money and had gotten dropped off at a strangers house, running off when the cop had left. He knew how to spot these kind of kids a mile away. "I have a feeling that I'm going to need your superpower." He said, though he handed their daughter over to Emma before they walked over to the twins and Mr Clark, who was scowling past them at the Mayor's back.

"Did you call their parents?" Emma asked, while Neal kept his eyes on the children. Mr Clark sighed.

"Uh, the number they gave me was disconnected." He informed them before he walked back behind the counter. Emma glanced at Neal before turning her attention back to the twins.

"Did you give Mr Clark a fake number?" Neal asked, but both the boy and girl shook their heads instantly. "The why is it disconnected?"

"Because our parents couldn't pay the bill." The girl admitted, grimacing slightly. Emma's heart dropped at that and she walked over to the counter. A lot of the things that the children had tried to steal was sweets, but there was also toothpaste, and bandages.

"Neal," she murmured, showing him, and he frowned in return. "You guys are just trying to help out, huh?"

The girl sighed. "Please," she pleaded, suddenly looking more nervous than Neal had ever seen her. Neal almost smiled; she was a good actress, he would give her that. Her brother, on the other hand, was less so and focused more on his shoes, his eyes and mouth twitching. "Please, don't arrest us. It will just make things worse for our parents." And there it was, the first lie. Neal had caught it without Emma's superpower - after a quick glance at Emma, he knew that she hadn't been fooled either.

"Okay," he said finally, making the twins look towards him in surprise. "Do you want to tell me your names?"

"I'm Ava," the girl said, obviously the voice box out of the two. She guestured to her brother, who hadn't uttered a word so far. "This is my brother, Nicholas."

"Well, I'll let the two of you off with a warning." Neal told them, and they visibly relaxed. "On the condition that we drive you home." And then they tensed again.

...

The drive to the twins house was silent; well, as silent as it could be with Clara in the back of the car, babbling away in her own language to Ava, who smiled at her and nodded along as if she completely understood every single word.

They pulled upto a nice, white house. "This it?" Emma asked, going to get out of the car when the twins nodded, but was stopped quickly by Ava.

"Please, no." The girl said hurridly, before smiling awkwardly when both Neal and Emma looked at her. Nicholas watched his sister with slightly wide eyes, full of panic. "If our parents see you, they'll be so embarrassed."

"Did Henry tell you about my superpower?" Emma asked. Neal groaned dramatically.

"Don't tell them! It gives it away!" He protested loudly, making Emma roll her eyes and the twins forced a smile, though they looked too nervous to actually be amused by Neal's attempts at jokes. Neal sighed heavily; he needed a better audience.

"We just met him." Ava admitted.

"I have the ability to tell when anyone is lying." Emma told them, making the smiles magically disappear. "Tell us the truth - money problems aside, is everything okay at home?"

"Yeah, we're great. Can we go?" Ava asked impatiently, almost snapping in her desperation to get out of the car.

Neal sighed. "Alright, go." He said, and the twins practically shot out of the car. They ran up the stairs of the house before turning when they go to the door, and waved at the two of them. "You think they're going to run?" Neal asked Emma, taking the hint and driving off slowly, she nodded silently. Neal drove a few feet out of sight of the house, paused and then reversed back; just in time to see Ava and Nicholas running through an alleyway at the side of the white house.

"Drive around the block." Emma ordered, and Neal did as he was told without complaint - something which was a bit unusual in their relationship but this was more Emma's territory.

They drove around the block, keeping their eyes open for any sight of the children and where they could be. They came to a stop a couple of houses down from a rugged looking house which was a similar style to the other house but far less nice - it was the kind of house that Neal was familiar with from his own childhood - as they watched Ava and Nicholas sneak in front the downstairs hatch.

Neal walked through the house, choosing to enter the house through the front door. He walked through the house, seeing pictures of the twins with a woman who he had assumed was their mother, but seeing no evidence that the house was being lived in at all. Warily, wondering what kind of trouble Ava and Nicholas could be in, and how deep they were in it, he walked further into the house, bumping into the startled looking twins just before he reached the kitchen. He sighed, looking down at them. "Why did you lie to us?" he asked, but they didn't reply. "Where are you parents?" he tried again, speaking more firmly.

Ava swallowed audibly before she spoke. "We don't have any." She muttered.

...

Later that day, Ava and Nicholas were sitting at the dinning room table with Teddy, eating their dinner while Neal, Emma and Mary Margaret watched them sadly.

"Do you know them? Do they go to your school?" Emma asked Mary Margaret, who was pretty shocked by the entire situation, having never realised that these children could've been going through so much. Neal wasn't as surprised - it seemed that the majority of Storybrooke, with the expception of Regina, remained oblivious to the issues of others in their small town. First it was Ashley and her struggle to keep her baby, and now Ava and Nicholas - Neal wondered how many others were suffering because of Regina and her revenge plot.

She sighed. "I've seen them, but... I had no idea. None of us did."

"It's not your fault." Neal said firmly, seeing the frown on her face. "Kids like these, they're good at hidding it."

"Ava and Nicholas Zimmer." Emma read from their file. "They said their mother was a woman named Dory Zimmer. She died a few years ago. No one seems to know her or remember her."

"And the father?" Mary Margaret asked, hopeful. Her hopes were dashed when Neal grimaced.

"There isn't one, aparently." He muttered, taking a sip of his coffee. "Ava and Nicholas were raised only by their mother, who never spoke of their father. No one in town seems to have a clue either. It's funny that; the stupid stuff like your order at the diner, everyone seems to know, but when it comes to the important stuff..." Neal trailed off with a frown.

"What does, uh... what does Social Services say?" Mary Margaret asked, lowering her voice so that the kids wouldn't be able to hear.

"We haven't called them." Neal said simply, not even flinching when Mary Margaret sent him a look.

"If we report them," Emma sighed, "we can't help them. They'll go into the system."

"The system that's supposed to help."

"Yeah, the system that I knew and was in for sixteen years." Emma pointed out, while Neal just scoffed. "Do you know what happens? They get thrown into homes where they are a meal ticket, nothing more. These families get paid for these kids and as soon as they're too much work, they get tossed out and it all starts over again."

Mary Margaret sighed sadly. "But they're not all like that." She said, sounding more like she was trying to convince herself more than Neal and Emma, both of which shook their heads.

"The ones that we were in were." Neal told her.

"So, what? We're just going to adopt them?"

Neal had always been the kind of person who loved having more children around the house, perhaps it had something to do with spending a few centuries surrounded by a lot of children in Neverland, but he wouldn't actually mind it if he and Emma took the Zimmer twins in. Emma, on the other hand, was more logical and knew that it wasn't really a posibility, no matter how much better it was compared to tossing them into the system as if they were someone else's problem.

"I want to look for their father. They don't know him. He may not know they exist." Emma said, more enthusiastic. Mary Margaret nodded.

"And you think if he knows, he'll want them?" she asked, smiling sadly at the blonde in front of her.

Emma glanced at Neal, remembering the instant interest he had in Henry when he found out that the boy existed. She had to hope that Ava and Nicholas' father felt the same way about them. "I don't know." She admitted reluctantly. "But what I do know, it it's hard enough finding foster families to take one kid that isn't theirs, let alone two. It's their best shot, or - "

"We're going to be seperated?" a heartbroke voice asked them, and they turned to see Ava standing right besides them, having clearly heard every word.

"No, that's not going to happen." Emma said firmly, before either of the other two could get a word in. Neal sighed, wishing that Emma wouldn't make promises that she may not be able to keep, knowing that it would devaste the kids _and_ her if she wasn't able to keep it.

"Please. Please don't let it."

...

"Excuse me," Emma said as she walked in the office, frowning as she looked at the name plate on the counter. "Mr... Krys-koski?"

"Kryszowski." He corrected, a heavy sigh as he walked over to her. "Everyone calls me K."

Emma breathed a sigh of relief, giving the man a smile. "Mr. K. I am Deputy Cassidy. I'm hoping to look at the birth certificates of Ava and Nicholas Zimmer."

"Alright, just, uh, fill out this form." He said, handing her a small pile of forms, stamping three of them. "In triplicate."

"Okay." Emma said, starting to fill out the form when the man spoke again, stopping her when she had only wrote down the date.

"I'm so sorry." He said. "Those documents have been recently removed." Emma frowned, a sinking feeling in her stomache.

"By who?"

...

"Don't worry, Mrs Cassidy." Regina said as she busied herself around her office. Emma stood in front of the desk, her arms folded as she watched the woman with suspicion. "You can relax. I've contacted Social Services. Turns out, these kids are on their own. They need help."

"Which is exactly what I'm trying to do." Emma told her, exasperated. "I'm trying to find their father."

Regina scoffed. "Well, he doesn't exist."

"He has to."

"Well, of course, biologically, he exists." Regina relented, handing over the twins file. "But there's no record of him. Which means we have no choice; these children need a home, so they will put into foster system."

Emma's eyes widened in panic. "Storybrooke has a foster system?"

"No, but I've contacted the state. Maine's group homes, unfortunately, are filled. But they put us in touch with two homes in Boston - a boy's home and a girls."

"They're separating them?"

"I don't like it, either." Regina said, though she didn't look half as worried as Emma felt, or that she knew Neal was going to feel when she'd tell him. "But we've got not choice. Your husband needs to have them in Boston tonight."

"Neal?!"

"Well, he wanted to be Sheriff; this is what Sheriffs do. Yes, Mr Cassidy is taking them."

"No." Emma protested, knowing that this would crush Neal. "I promised them they wouldn't be separated."

Regina contained a smirk. "Well then, perhaps you should stop making promises you can't keep. These children need a home. I'm just trying to find the best one."

...

"I know who they are." Henry told Neal. He had arrived at the station after school and Neal had barely managed to tell him the entire situation with the Zimmer twins before Henry made that announcement and pulled out the book.

Neal smirked. "Of course you do."

"They're brother and sister, lost, no parents..." Henry trailed off, waiting for his father to fill in the blanks. Neal, knowing that Henry was practically bursting to tell him, simply sat back and smiled at him. Henry sighed and rolled his eyes; considering his father was one of the most open people when it came to the curse, he really didn't seem to have any clue when it came to guessing who everyone really was. He opened his book, showing Neal the picture of two children, a boy and a girl, standing in front of a gingerbread house. Neal's smile grew, having considered that already. "Hansel and Gretel."

"Does it mention what happened to their dad?" he asked.

"Just that he abandoned them." Neal grimaced.

"Seems to be a common theme in that book." He muttered. Henry leaned against the desk, looking at his dad in interest.

"Is that what happened to you?" he asked, making Neal freeze. He had never let on that he had been a part of the enchanted forest, especially not to Henry; he had only revealed that he knew all about it, and even that little slip up had been a while ago. It hadn't been mentioned since, and Neal had hoped that Henry had forgotten about it. He had hoped that Henry had forgotten about it, but aparently not.

"I'm not in the book, Henry." He told him, trying to keep his voice even.

"I know that. I've been trying to find your story, but I can't seem to figure it out. But you _are_ from over there, aren't you? You escape the curse."

"What makes you think that?" Neal challenged. Henry smirked.

"The way you talk. It's not that hard to figure out. So, what's your story?"

Neal hesitated, wondering whether he should lie and keep Henry oblivious to his past. It was, after all, something which Neal hoped to keep hidden even after the curse was broken - the last thing he wanted was for his father to find him and his family, telling people will only increase the risk of him finding out. It was bad enough that Emma knew. But he hated lying to Henry, he had been lied to enough in his life - it couldn't hurt to let him know just a little, not enough for him to be able to figure out that he was the son of the Dark One, but enough so that he knew _something_. "I can't tell you a lot." He began, his voice firm. Henry, knowing that now wasn't the time to push it, nodded, leaning forwards eagerly. He had been waiting to hear his father's story for months. "You won't find my story in that book, I've already checked. My story began years before any of those other fairytales. I came into this world because I was abandoned by my father, who liked his power more than me. He let me fall through a portal into this world."

"And you've been here ever since?" Neal nodded, keeping his eyes on the papers on his desk so that he couldn't see the sympathy in his son's eyes when he looked at him. "Do you have anything from there? Anything of your dads?" Well, there was the dagger which was still playing on Neal's mind, and which was kept safely hidden within the boxes of Neal's college assignments. The dagger which had been keeping him up all night, which seemed to be whispering to him ever time he thought that he might have a chance to drop off again, only to startle him awake again. He had started to get into the habit of falling asleep on the couch; Emma wasn't impressed.

"I - " Neal stopped, finally looking up at Henry. "I don't no, but I think you've just given me an idea."

Henry nodded with a cheeky smile. "It's been known to happen."

...

Emma heard the door close a moment before she walked out of the bathroom with Clara, wrapped in a fluffy white towel. She looked at the three children sitting at the kitchen island, eating Mary Margaret's artistic cookies - they sat there, like they had when she had left the room, like nothing had even happened; but there was something about Ava and Nicholas' apprehensive and hopeful expressions that made Emma think differently.

She frowned. "Hey," she said, making the three of them look up. Teddy's eyes widened, knowing that if Clara's bathtime was finished, he was next... While his mother's attention was on the twins, he slipped out of his chair and padded away to hide. "Was someone here?" she asked them.

Ava nodded. "The Sheriff. He showed us your baby blanket." It was then that Emma noticed the box of her old things sitting at the end of the counter, her white blanket with purple ribbon just visible from the top. Her throat tightened. "He asked if we had anything of our dads."

It made sense, and she wondered why she hadn't thought about it earlier. Throughout all of her time in the foster care system, every child she had come across had kept something from their lives before the system - something as small as a hat that had been found with them, or a locket holding a picture of their birth mother. Little things which held no significance to outsiders - many of whom thought they were weird for holding onto things that reminded them of people who had abandoned them - but they clung onto them because it was their only link to their past. It gave them hope that they would find them again one day. Even Lily, who had been adopted and had a new family who could love and care for her, had kept something which she believed was her mothers. The only person Emma had come across in their situation who didn't hold onto their past was Neal, and, from what she could tell, it was because he didn't want to be reminded of the past.

Neal had never shown an interest in finding his family, even when she had suggested reaching out to his father after Teddy was born, to offer an olive branch, he had been adament that he wanted them nowhere near his father. Now that she knew that his father was Gold, she could partly understand his reasons behind it. Partly. Mr Gold was manipulative and sly, but he didn't seem as bad as Neal had made out when they were younger - Emma couldn't imagine him hurting Neal or neglecting him as she knew the main few foster families he had had done before he had run away. But, saying that, she did know that he had abandoned him, much like Emma's parents had done, and she knew how much that hurt.

Emma wanted nothing more than to find her parents, even if it was just to know where she came from and to ask them why they had given her away. But she also knew that a large part of her would never be able to forgive them for abandoning her - and she didn't even know anything about them. For Neal, it was worse, because he had known his life before the system and, because of that, he was filled with such resentment and bitterness about it that Emma doubted that there could be any resolution between him and Gold. Despite that, now that Emma knew the truth behind Neal's wariness and anxiety towards the pawn broker, she could look back on the first few weeks after their arrival in Storybrooke and remember the signs. Neal would always glance at the shop when they were walking past it after grabbing some ice cream, he would also glance at Mr Gold when he saw him in the street, he would always pause and watch him from the window as Gold walked past the Sheriff's station, he would always move closer to Emma (for support or defensively, Emma wasn't quite sure) when the older man walked into Granny's while they were there... all those signs, and Emma never once considered that he was Neal's father.

"Did you ever find them?" Ava's voice broke through her thoughts and she looked up, realising that she had moved around the counter and had picked up her baby blanket. Ava and Nicholas - for some reason, Teddy was hiding behind the curtain in the living room, his feet sticking out from underneath it - were looking at her curiously.

"Who?" she asked, confused.

"Your parents."

Emma looked back down at the blanket. She had spent a lot of her time after giving up Henry trying to find her parents; at different stages of her life she would decide to try and find them, then she would give up, and then something would happen in her life to make her want to find them again. The first time she had tried to find them, she had just broken up with Neal in Tallahassee and had briefly moved to Maine, only a few miles away from Storybrooke, to get answers. She had given up within six months when the only thing she could find was the dinner and the Swans, who was living happily with their teenage children; that had been painful to see. The second time after that had been when she and Neal had decided to get married; she had wanted them there. The day came and went, and it was just her and Neal, with two random witness off the street. And she decided to find them twice after that; when Teddy was born and four years later, when Clara had been born - this time last year she had been looking for her family, and now she had found someone even more important. Someone who could make her family complete and whole even without her parents.

But even though she felt more content at this time in her life than any other, she still couldn't stop herself from feeling jealous that Neal had found someone from his past and she hadn't. It was stupid and selfish, she knew that; Neal didn't want anything to do with his father, and would've been happier if they'd never been within a few miles of him. But he had found him, however accidental and unwanted it was, and she hadn't found anything to help her find her parents.

"Not yet." She admitted to Ava, who looked a little downhearted by the admittion. "But we will find yours. I promise."

...

Neal honestly thought that he was visiting his father's shop way too often, but he knew that he needed to speak to Mr Gold if they were ever going to find a way of protecting the twins and preventing Regina from sending them over the townline; something he knew was going to put them in even more danger, if they were even able to get within a mile away from Storybrooke.

"Neal." Mr Gold smiled, looking up with he heard the bell. Neal clenched his teeth, remembering his father's manipulations from yesterday, as he walked over to him. "How lovely to see you. I'm flattered you'd take time off your busy schedule for me. What could I do for you, Sheriff?"

"You know everyone in town." Neal began, knowing that his father wouldn't only know about Ava and Nicholas, but also about Hansel and Gretel. He would surely know what happened to their father in the Enchanted Forest, and what had happened to him in Storybrooke as well.

"Well," Mr Gold considered, with his ever-present smirk. "Most people."

"Well, I need to find the person who owned this." Neal said, putting the compass on the counter. He watched Gold study it with great interest, but there was no surprise in his eyes. He knew that he was going to go to him, Neal realised.

"Well, well. Look at the detail. You know, this is crystal. This jeweled setting... Despite the father unfortunate shape it;s in, this is actually a very unusual piece. The person who owned this obviously had great taste."

"Any idea who this person is? Where they got it from?"

"Right here, of course."

Neal's eyes narrowed, wondering why his father sounded so gleeful about this. What did he have to gain from this? Or did he just find the whole thing entertaining? "The compass came from this shop? How do you even remember that? You couldn't have had this for over ten years."

Gold shrugged, unconcerned by Neal's tone. "A piece like this is difficult to forget."

"Well, do you happen to remember the person who brought it?" he asked, impatiently.

"Well, I'm good with names, Mr Cassidy, but maybe not that good." Gold chuckled, walking around the counter to a file cabinet. "However, as luck would have it, I do keep quite extensive records."

"That's lucky." Neal muttered.

"And... Yes, here we are." Mr Gold said, pulling out an index card. Neal waited but the older man just smiled at him.

Neal sighed. "What do you want?"

"Forgiveness." Gold replied, and Neal stiffened. Never, he wanted to say, his mind going back to the real reason he hated his father - the same reason that he still had nightmares, even close to twenty years later. But for his manipulations for the election? There wasn't really a lot to fogive, after all, it was nothing which Neal wouldn't have expected for his father.

"Fine."

"The compass was purchased by a Mr. Michael Tillman."

"Anything else that can help?"

"Just a name, but I generally find that's all that one needs."

Neal nodded; names were power, as his father used to say when he began making his deals. "Thanks."

"Good luck with your investigation." His father called as Neal walked out of the shop, feeling Gold's eyes on his back the entire time.

...

"Not possible." Michael denied, shaking his head when he looked at the kids file.

"Actually, it is." Emma shot back, as Michael turned his back on them and walked back to the car he was working on in his garage. Michael shook his head.

"Well, I'm sorry, but Dory... she wasn't my, uh." He smiled awkwardly. "It was just once."

Neal rolled his eyes. "It can only take once." He pointed out, but the other man shook his head.

"I met her when I was camping and we..." he trailed off, shaking his head even further. "No. It's not possible. I don't have twins."

"Yes, you do." Neal said, just as firmly. "These kids have been homeless ever since their mother passed away, living in an abandoned house because they can't bear the thought of being separated. Just because you didn't know about them, doesn't mean that you can't step up and be there for when they need you. And they need you now, or they are going to be shipped off to Boston."

Michael sighed. "Look, I can barely manage this garage. I can't manage two kids, and why are you so sure they're mine?"

"Because they have this." Neal said, holding up the compass. Michael turned and froze when he saw it. "Your's I pressume?" he asked mockingly. Emma nudged him warningly. She was getting just as annoyed as Neal was with this guy, but the worst thing they could do now was antagonise him.

"I lost this." Michael murmured, walking back over to them and taking the compass off Neal.

"Let me guess - twelve years and nine months ago?" Emma asked dryly. "I know it's a lot, believe me, I know. A month ago, a kid showed up on our doorstep - who I gave up for adoption - asking for help with... something. Neal didn't even know he existed until then, and we ended up moving here for him."

Michael looked between them. "I heard about that; the mayor's son. But staying in town is... It's a lot different than taking him in."

"Not because we don't want to." Neal protested, glaring at the man in front of him. "We don't have a choice."

"Those kids did not ask to be brought into this world. You brought them into this world - you and their mother - and they need you. And if you choose not to take them, you are going to have to answer for that every day of your life. And, sooner or later, when they find you - because, believe me, they will find you - you're going to have to answer to them." Emma tried, but Michael just handed the compass back.

"I'm really sorry." He said, not noticing Neal's glare strengthen. "I am. I don't know anything about being a dad. If it's a good home you're looking for, it's not with me." He said, turning back to his work. Neal stepped forwards but was stopped from doing anything by his wife, who widened her eyes in warning.

...

"He doesn't want the kids." Emma admitted to Mary Margaret sadly, when the teacher met them outside her apartment.

Mary Margaret's hopeful expression faded. "And you don't want to tell them."

"I can't." Emma sighed, leaning into Neal's side. "Because all I'll be telling them is that the false hope I gave them is exactly that."

"The truth can be painful, Emma, but it can also be cathartic."

"I can agree with the painful part." Neal sighed, finally relaxing since they left the garage. "I can't believe him. What kind of father doesn't want anything to do with his children? Dads should be there, they should drop everything for their children." He ranted, glaring at the floor. Emma bit her lip, her grip tightening on his side as her eyes met Mary Margaret's. She shook her head slightly, warning the other woman to not push the situation. Mary Margaret nodded back just as slightly.

"Maybe we can hide the kids." Emma suggested, grasping at straws. "Just until we can find a family for them. Someone to take care of them."

"Yes," Mary Margaret sighed, "hiding the twelve year olds is a good plan."

"I'm all for it." Neal said, looking up. "Do you have a better idea?"

"Maybe there isn't an idea. Maybe you just have to - "

"Sherrif." Regina appeared at their side, and Neal resisted the urge to throttle the woman as she frowned at him. "Shouldn't you be on the interstate?"

"What are you doing here?" Emma sighed.

"Seeing to it that Mr Cassidy does his job."

"You seem very preoccupied with whether I'm doing my job." Neal snapped. "Are you sure you're doing yours?" Emma, Mary Margaret and Regina stared at him.

Regina's face scrunched up in her outrage. "Do. Your. Job." She glared. "Those kids are supposed to be in Boston tonight."

...

Neal's temper hadn't improved as time went on, getting closer and closer to when he was supposed to take the twins over the town line and to seperate them for good, if they even made it that far. His anger was brewing under the surface, which was probably why it wasn't a good idea for him to be outside Michael Tillman's repair shop while the other man continued to work, as if he had no problems in the entire world. As if his children were not about to be sent away before he could even get to know them. He began to walk forwards, only to be stopped when a cane appeared in front of her, crossing his chest and stopping him from being able to confront the other man.

Neal glared at the stick hatefully, before turning that same glare onto the man holding it. Mr Gold just stared back impassively. "I wouldn't do that, dearie."

Neal cringed, remembering the childish flourish his father usually said that in when someone had got on his bad side. It had put him on edge when he was a child, and it had only made him feel worse now. "I don't need your permission." He snapped, but he turned on his heel and walked off anyway. He heard the sound of the cane hitting the floor repeatedly as Gold followed him, as he walked back down main street, heading for Mary Margaret's apartment.

"It's such a shame," he heard his father say, casually, "that some men don't want to step up for their children." That's rich coming from you, Neal wanted to say but bit on his lip furiously instead. He instantly released the lip when he felt a sharp pain; he gently touched it and his fingers were coated in his blood when he pulled them back. He sighed - Emma was going to think that he had been fighting. "I find you very honorable, Mr Cassidy." Gold continued. "The way you act around your children... you don't see enough of that these days. You'd do anything for them, be there for them throughout anything, help them with anything. It's almost like you're trying to make up for something."

"What could I possibly need to make up for?" he asked, expecting the other man to mention the ten years that he had missed of Henry's life.

He response, however, surprised Neal so much that he stopped in his tracks. "Your father's abandonment." Neal's heart thumped in his chest; he couldn't have worked it out, could he? Trying to keep his expresson blank, he turned back to the man and studied him silently. Mr Gold was watching him intently, observing him with a coolness that Neal wouldn't have expected if he had thought that Neal was Baelfire. "I can see it in your eyes. That hurt and betrayed look that I've seen for many years since - " he cut himself off, as if realising that he had perhaps revealed too much. He looked away for a moment before smirking at Neal, leaning forward to speak in a loud whisper, "I look forward to hearing your story, Mr Cassidy." He said, before limping off, leaving Neal to let out the breath he had been holding in.

...

When Neal arrived at the apartment, everyone was waiting for him. Regina smirked when she saw him, her smugness growing by the second. Neal wondered what Ava and Nicholas ever did to the Evil Queen back in the Enchanted Forest to make her this determined to cause them so much pain and suffering - or if it had been their father that had been the culprit.

"Mr Cassidy," she practically purred. "Nice of you to join us."

Neal ignored her, walking past her completely, only giving Henry a small smile as he walked over to the squad car where Emma was waiting with the kids. Emma's eyes drifted over his face, noticing the small cut on his lip, and she frowned.

"Are you okay?" she asked, quietly. He nodded, turning to the kids. His heart nearlly broke when he saw the hurt and betrayed looks on their faces, the very look his father had mentioned only moment beforehand; they looked so vulnerable and lost, that Neal wasn't sure what he could do to make it up to them. Emma, seeing Neal's indecision, opened the car door and guestured for them to get in. They looked at her, just as lost as they had done when they had been looking at Neal. She sighed shakily. "Come on. It's going to be..." Fine? Okay? She knew it wasn't going to be, it was never going to be again. She swallowed, handing Ava the compass. "Here." She murmured, tearing her eyes away from them as they continued to stare at them helpless.

"I'm sorry, guys." Neal said finally. "But we have to go." Ava and Nicholas reluctantly climbed into the car and Neal, just as reluctantly, got into the front.

"Let's go, Henry." Regina smirked, placing her hand on the ten year old's shoulders. Henry wrenched away from her, a scowl on his face as he ran over to the driver's side window.

"No, you can't take them!" He hissed to his father, who couldn't bring himself to look at him. "They can't leave Storybrooke, Dad! They can't. Something bad will happen."

Emma sighed, placing her hands on the boys shoulders much like Regina had done before her. Unlike with Regina, Henry relaxed into her grip rather than pull out of it. Neal gave him an apologetic look before he drove off, leaving Henry and Emma staring after them sadly. "Something bad has already happened."

...

Neal's mind was racing, wondering what he could possibly do to make this right. He couldn't let these children get thrown into the system as he and Emma had been, and that's even if they are able to make it over the border - Henry had been very vague about what happens to the residents of Storybrooke whe they tried to cross the town line. 'Bad things happen' he had said. What bad things? Neal didn't really want to risk it and find out, so when they were nearing the Leaving Storybrooke sign he made his decision and quickly pulled over to the side of the road. "You've got to be kidding me." He said, for the children.

"What happened?" Ava asked. "What's wrong."

"Engine's stalled." Neal lied, getting out his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"Help."

Neal didn't bother calling Michael, knowing that the man wouldn't have bothered coming to his aid after what had happened at the garage, so he had called Emma and asked her to call Michael for him.

He had clearly made the right decision when Michael realised that who's car needed to be rapaired; the man had turned to walk away when he caught sight of Ava and Nicholas, peering at him from the backseat. Neal had clearly made a bad impression. "Those are them?" he asked, after a long moment.

"Those are them." Neal nodded, folding his arms over his chest.

"And your car, it's fine?"

"I wanted you to see them before let them go off to be raised by strangers." Neal said, before taking a deep breath. He wasn't going to get anywhere but arguing with the man. "Look, when I found out that Emma was pregnant with our son, I wasn't sure that I could do it either. Same when I found out about Henry. Same when we had Clara. But the moment I saw them, and bonded with them ... I couldn't go back."

Michael stared at the twins. "You're taking them? To Boston?"

"I don't have to."

"No," Michael said shakily, after a long moment, finally meeting Neal's eyes. "You don't."

...

"Neal just called." Emma said, walking into Mary Margaret's bedroom. The other woman had been busy folding up her laundry, but instantly dropped it when Emma walked in. "Their dad showed up. Changed his mind."

Mary Margaret's eyes widened, but her face lit up. "Changed his mind? Just like that?"

"He might have had a little nudge." Emma smirked.

"They found their father. That's great."

"I wonder what that would be like..." Emma mused. Mary Margaret smiled at her, though the blonde barely noticed; she was too busy staring off absently.

"Maybe you'll find out. You can't give up."

"I don't know." Emma sighed. "I kind of think giving up might be the best plan. I think I need to let go."

"No, you don't."

"Really? If they wanted to know me, they wouldn't make it so hard to look."

"Maybe." Mary Margaret agreed as she continued folding her clothes. "But maybe there's other reasons. Maybe there is an explanation."

Emma scoffed. "If there is, it's something crazy. Something even crazier than Henry's theory."

"Yeah? What's Henry's theory?" she asked, curious. Emma looked at her for a moment before she answered.

"Well," she began, lying down at the bottom of the bed. "That my parents put me in a magical wardrobe and sent me to this world to save them."

"Aw. And who does he think they are?"

Emma hesitated for a moment before she smiled. "Well, for one, you." She told her, making the other woman look at her in surprise.

"Me?"

"Well, Snow White."

"Snow White has a kid?"

"Apparently, that book you gave him? Not exactly the stories in the most traditional sense."

"I have a kid." Mary Margaret muttered. "You'd think I'd remember that."

"Yeah, you'd think."

Mary Margaret smiled as she looked at the blonde in front of her. "You do kind of have my chin." She joked, making Emma giggle as Teddy ran in, climbing on the bed besides his mother, a very familiar blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"Hey, mister." Emma nudged him, making him laugh. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What a pretty blanket." Mary Margaret smiled.

"Thanks." Emma smiled, picking up her son and placing him on her hip, letting the blanket fall to the bed. "Would you be okay to watch over Clara for an hour or so? Henry was feeling down earlier so we're going to get some pie."

"Of course." Mary Margaret smiled, tearing her eyes away from the blanket. "I can wait to eat with you, if you'd like?"

"No, it's fine. We'll bring you back some pie." Emma told her, setting Teddy down on the ground as they walked out of the apartment. Mary Margaret smiled softly as she listened to Teddy ask for Pumpkin pie before her attention turned back to the white blanket, woven delicately with purple ribbon, Emma's name stitched into it. Numbly, Mary Margaret dropped her clothes on the bed and picked up the blanket; she held it to her face and inhaled deeply.

...

Neal looked over his wife's shoulder curiously as she grabbed her red jacket from the front seat of the bug, noticing the familiar file sitting on the passenger seat. When she closed the door and turned back to him, he smiled at her gently. "You thinking of finding them?" he asked carefully, wondering whether she would get annoyed if he asked to much. The last few times, she had wanted to do things by herself, and would get mad if he ever asked about it. The time after Teddy was born, she had given up altogether because he asked if he could help.

To his surprise, Emma smiled softly back at him and leaned into his side, wrapped her arms around his. "Would you help me if I did?" she asked.

Neal raised an eyebrow and relaxed. "Of course." He promised. "We're in this together."

"Hey." They looked around to see their two boys coming towards them, walking out of Granny's with boxes of pies juggled between them, more than what either Neal or Emma had been expecting but when you give children money to buy whatever they want, they take it very literally. "Pumpkin pie, right?" Henry asked, holding out a box when they managed to get to the bottom, with the help of their dad who took on a few of the boxes. Neal smiled.

"Thanks, kid."

"How can you eat that?" Emma asked, looking at him incredulously as he instantly opened the box and took a large bite.

"I know, it's weird." Teddy nodded in agreement, looking at Neal with an almost disappointed frown.

"I like pumpkin pie." Henry defended. Neal smirked, glad that he had someone on his side for once. Now all he had to do was convert Clara, and then it will be three against two. And, with that, the long debate over pies kicked off between Henry and Teddy while Neal and Emma watched the scene with amusement, leaning against the bug together as they watched their sons, finally content.

The family trailed off after a while, however, as a man on a motorcycle pulled to a stop acrossed the road from them, a large wooden box on the back of the bike. The man looked at them and got off, taking off his helmet before he walked over. Neal nearlly dropped the box in his hands, his eyes widening as August smiled at them.

"Hi." He said, his gaze switching to Emma, who he looked at appraisingly. Neal stiffened, his eyes narrowing at the man who had nearlly destroyed his life ten years ago. The man who he could pin the blame on for the fact that he missed out on ten years of his son's life.

Emma frowned at the stranger. "Hey." She muttered.

"Is this Storybrooke?" he asked. Like you don't already know, Neal thought to himself, frowning at the man he had never thought he would see again.

"Yeah." He said, out loud.

"Any place to get a room around here?"

"You're staying?" Henry asked, surprised. August looked at him and smiled.

"That's the plan." He said. "Just looking for a bed."

"Granny's Bed and Breakfast is just up the road," Emma told him, pointing in the direction of Granny's. "Another two blocks."

August's smile widened. "Thank you." He said, turning to walk back to his bike.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name." Emma stepped forwards, folding her arms across her chest defensively. August smirked over his shoulder.

"That's because I didn't give it." His eyes caught Neal's. "Good to see you again, Cassidy."

Emma and Henry turned to Neal instantly, while his eyes narrowed on Pinocchio as the other man put his helmet on and drove off.

"You know him?" Henry asked.

"Unfortunately." Neal sighed.

Emma turned to Henry, who was staring after August with suspicion. "I thought you said strangers don't come to Storybrooke."

"They don't."

...

AN - Finally! I absolutely hate this chapter, think it could've been done so much better. But, on the bright side, we're closer to the confrontation between Neal and August ;) The one thing I will say about this chapter, is that it was needed to show Neal and Emma's solidarity - there's going to be a few issues that they need to work through in the few several chapters...

 **Reviews...**

 **Many Voices in My Head -** Oh, I have done that SO many times, hope you didn't regret it :) From what I've planned of the story already, Neal won't be dying... I love CaptainSwan too, I just think there are too many CaptainSwan fics and not enough Swanfire... Yep, loved writing that one ;) and I fully intend to - considering they were practically family, we didn't get to see enough of the bonding between Neal and Belle :/ hope you enjoyed this chapter.

 **123 -** Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying it so far and hope that you continue to enjoy it later on down the line :)

 **crazyhpcfan -** Yeah, I think the only thing Rumple has managed to do with last chapter is convince Neal that he hasn't changed much from the person Neal knew before and it isn't going to make it easier for Neal to admit that he's his son :/ Thank you, I hope you liked this chapter as well :)

 **yuiop -** Thank you :)

 **-** You can, can't you... ;) I thought I'd surprise a few people with that; what did you think about it? I wanted to add in a new twist, especially since Emma isn't exactly fond of Gold either, now she will be even less tolerant of him - which could lead to issues with Neal keeping his secret later on down the line... I think everyone is waiting for Gold to find out that Neal is Bae, I'm really excited for it too. I haven't even written it yet and the build up is killing me!

 **FictionLover12 -** Thanks :) I thought that Neal needed to have a bigger role in Storybrooke than he did in the show; he didn't seem to make as much of an impact as you would've expected for the Dark One's son/the Savior's ex. Yes, that will really be interesting... ;) I'm not sure about that one though; Neal's relationships will take a real turn in season two (and that's all I'm willing to reveal, sorry) so it may not be what everyone is expecting... Emma has been on the sidelines so far, but that's only because I thought that Neal needed to work through his issues with wanting to leave Storybrooke, working out a way to be a proper dad to Henry, and (of course) Rumplestiltskin. She will be coming out from the sidelines though; I've tried to edge her in a big more in this chapter. Emma _will_ be having more moments. The next few chapters are going to be tense, and show different sides of both Neal and Emma, along with revealing more of their past together and their feelings for one another. It has gone a bit weird, hasn't it? I've just finished watching the first half of series five on Netflix and it's nowhere near as good as the first few series :/ Saying that, I can't wait for it to return in March and I can't seem to give it up. Not yet anyway. I may change my mind after a while.

 **deenew27 -** Thank you :) Neal _will_ be staying alive in this version of events; I've never agreed on the writer's decision to kill Neal off, it just seemed like a waste of the storyline that they built up since... will, the last episode that I covered. I have plenty planned for Neal's future, death not being one of them - at least, not at the point in the story where the writer's killed him off...

 **steelneena -** Lol, I hope you were just as excited for this one too ;)

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thank you, hope this one was just as good :D

 **Swanfirefan -** He does; I've always hated that. The writer's built up the Baelfire storyline so much in the first season and a half, then his reunion with his dad was a bit of a let down, then he faded into the background, and then he died... The storyline had always been one of my favourites at the beginning and I felt crushed to see it go downhill :/ Can't give anything away about that but I do have a plan in mind ;) Neal's relationship with Regina is going to be a lot different from how it is in the show - as it already has been. I've always noticed that, in the show, Regina doesn't seem as threatened by Neal's presence in Henry's life as she had with Emma and then Gold, something which I found really weird...

 **Guest -** Thank you :D and I agree, there are very few that I have found that I can honestly say that I love. It's like everyone's given up on Swanfire and has jumped on the Captain Swan band wagon :/ Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well :)

 **EH-01 -** You'll have to wait and see ;)

 **-** I will do :) thanks for reading and reviewing :)

Can I just say a quick thank you to all of those who have been reviewing, following and favouriting this story. I never expected it to be liked, if I'm being perfectly honest and it has really made my year (for the rest of 2015 at least). I hope you all continue to enjoy the story and I manage to do it justice for all of you :) xxx


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Another chapter which is more Snow and Charming centered; I've worked it so that there is very little mention of them but remember that everything that happened in the show where they are concerned is still happening behind the scenes with this. With this chapter, however, I decided to have Neal and Emma - who, so far, I have portrayed as the perfect, solid couple - confront some of their issues. There are also some flashbacks which I'm sure some of you will be happy about - they may seem a little disjointed and unrelated to what's happening with current events in Storybrooke, but I promise that it will all come together at the end.

...

 **7:15**

"Presents?"

"Check."

"Balloons?"

"Check."

"Cake ordered?"

"Check."

"Party bags set up?"

"Check."

"Bouncy Castle?"

"... Ah."

Emma looked up from her list, her eyes narrowed on her husband. "You forgot to order a bouncy castle?" she asked with a sharpness in her tone which made even Teddy (who was sitting in the front room) cringe, sounding far from surprised.

"It completely slipped my mind. It's a good thing though, because there's a storm coming in and there is no way Granny is going to let us set up a bouncy castle in the diner." Neal pointed out frantically. Things had been a bit tense between them, mainly because Neal refused to tell her who the 'mysterious stranger' was and why Neal looked like he wanted to punch him when he had simply asked for directions. He couldn't really explain everything; August had been in and out of their lives for years, even after Emma had been released from prison, whether it was through postcards or turning up on the doorstep one day, and Neal had always tried his hardest to keep Emma blissfully oblivious to August's presence. Emma sighed heavily before rolling her eyes, turning back to her list; she couldn't, afterall, deny that he had a valid point.

Mary Margaret ran out off the bedroom, a toothbrush hanging from her mouth as she rushed around the kitchen to get ready. Neal and Emma stared at her puzzled, glancing at the clock which said that it was only just after seven.

"I overslept." She said as a quick explanation, a hint of hysteria in her voice after spitting out the toothpaste in her mouth and in to the kitchen sink.

"It's only seven ten." Emma said, taking a sip out of her cup. "We haven't even woke the kids up, yet. You've got plenty of time to get to school."

Mary Margaret shook her head. "No, I have to be there at seven fifteen. Science fair. I'm helping the kids with their project before school."

"I'm sure they'll live if you're a little late." Neal said, reassuringly. Mary Margaret paused as she reached the door, turning back to look at Neal as though he was an idiot, a notion which Neal was sure his wife agreed with.

"We're making a volcano." She said, exasperated as she left and closed the door behind her. Neal and Emma stared after her, before sharing a knowing glance.

"She's going to see David." Emma stated. Neal nodded in agreement as his wife got up from her seat. "Okay, I'm going to pop into Clara's room and say happy birthday. I don't care how excited you are, don't open the presents until I get back." She ordered softly, a slight smile on her face as she kissed him goodbye to show that she didn't want to stay mad - Neal smiled back to show the same - before she left to catch up with their roommate.

...

 _ **Tallahassee, November 2002**_

 _Emma was smiling happily as she walked down the horrible, dank corridor which lead upon hers and Neal's apartment. It had been just under a year since they had gotten back together on that Christmas Eve in Seattle, and despite the fact that it had been awkward for a long while and she still held a lot of guilt over what happened during their time apart and keeping it from him still, but for the first time in what felt like forever, Emma was at her happiest. She had a home, she had the man that she loved, and she had just found a job at the local diner... she finally had her Tallahassee._

 _The road to where the were now hadn't been brilliant; they still had things which they needed to work through, Emma still couldn't say that she had forgiven Neal for leaving her but her own guilt over giving away their baby without telling him kept her from bringing it up. It would be all too easy for them to get into an argument and for her to blurt it out in a moment of anger - she had avoided fights because of that. It was easier to stew at the things which annoyed her, rather than confront it and risk losing everything because she couldn't keep her mouth shut. Those moments were tense, until she got to the point where she couldn't remember why she was angry at him and they would move on - there were still times, when she remembered the incident months later, but she still kept it to herself. What point would there be to bring it up again? So, she buried the incident again and moved on._

 _As Emma drew closer to the apartment, she could hear bangs and scruffling from the inside. She hesitated, wondering what could possibly be happening on the other side - Neal was the only one home - before she opened the door and her eyes widened when she saw Neal on the ground, another man on top of him, punching every inch of her boyfriend that he could reach._

 _"Neal!" She screamed, her voice echoing through the bare apartment, and making the stranger startle. The strangly familiar man with auburn hair looked up at her in shock, his clear blue eyes meeting hers for only a moment before he jumped to his feet and pushed past her, running down the corridor and out of sight before another word could be said. Emma stared numbly after him from her spot leaning against the wall which he had pushed her into, before turning her attention back to Neal, who had just managed to get to his feet. He looked terrible; if she hadn't have known that it was him, she would've found it hard to recognise him otherwise because of all of the blood coating his face. From what Emma could see, Neal had a broken nose and was going to end up with at least one, possibly two, black eyes. That was really going to help his chances of getting a job - which he had been struggling to do ever since they had moved to Tallahassee - Emma thought to herself, before feeling guilty. Yes, that was exactly the right thing to think right now! "Who the hell was that?" she demanded furiously._

 _"Nobody you need to worry about." Neal grunted, before storming off into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him, leaving her in the livingroom wondering what the hell Neal had gotten himself into._

...

"What are you doing here?" Henry asked the strange man who had suddenly appeared in Storybrooke with no explanation, when he found him standing outside the big house when Henry had left to go to school. The man, dressed in black leather, looked up passively from where he was fixing his bike, his eyes lit up slightly when he caught sight of Henry before he looked back down again.

"Fixing my bike." He answered.

"No, I mean in Storybrooke." Henry pushed, but the stranger shrugged.

"Just visiting", was all he said. Henry frowned, looking around the stranger for any clue as to who he might be and why he might be 'visiting' the cursed town. His eyes landed on the wooden box on the end of the motorcycle.

"What's that?" he asked, curiously. The man didn't even look at it to see what Henry was talking about.

"A box." He replied, mysteriously.

"What's inside it?"

"Just something I need to do what I came here for." The stranger said, putting down his tools before getting on the motorcycle. Henry's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the man.

"I thought you were just visiting?"

The man started his bike and looked at Henry with a smile. "Doesn't mean I don't have something to do."

"Henry!" A voice shrieked from behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see his mom watching them from the house with both panic and motherly concern.

"Better get to school." The man advised as he put on his helmet, looking up at the sky. "Looks like a storm's coming." And, with that, he drove off, leaving Henry more curious than he had been before.

"Henry." Regina said, as she reached him, putting a protective and possessive hand on his shoulder. "Who was that?" she asked, watching the man on the bike drive off. Henry shrugged.

...

"Just don't be late." Emma said firmly down her phone. "I know you can't control the storm, I'm not stupid, but this is our daughters birthday party and I don't want you to miss it... No, I don't think I'm overreacting. I'm stressing because it's my daughter first birthday, and my husband would rather be chasing around strange men, and storms... I'm not arguing with you over the phone, I'll speak to you later. At the diner."

Mary Margaret glanced awkwardly at Emma, who was scowling ahead of her, as they walked down the aisle of the pharmacy. "You okay?" she asked warily.

"He just... drives me up the wall sometimes." Emma muttered. They walked in silence for a long moment before Emma spoke again. "You haven't noticed that Neal seems a little... strange to you?"

"He has been a bit preoccupied, but I suppose that's to be expected."

Emma stopped, frowning in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked, when Mary Margaret had turned to look at her. Her friend looked puzzled.

"I just mean that he has a lot going on. First he had the issues with his dad, and then Graham died and Neal became Sheriff... it must be a lot to handle."

"What issues with his dad?" Emma asked, and Mary Margaret's eyes widened with the realization that Neal hadn't told her, making her look like a deer in the headlights.

"Oh, erm..." Mary Margaret ducked her head, wishing there was a way out of this situation. Overall, Neal and Emma seemed to have a very solid relationship, but when they fought they _fought._ She had a feeling that there was some tension there at the moment, which had been gradually building over the last few days, and that she was only going to be making it worse. "He told me that he thought his dad was upto something."

"When was this?" Emma asked quietly, as they started walking again.

Mary Margaret sighed. "The day Graham died." She admitted, and Emma gritted her teeth. Mary Margaret looked at her but, to her surprise, instead of seeing fury on Emma's face, she only saw sadness.

"He never told me." Emma muttered.

"I'm sure he was just waiting for the right moment."

Emma snorted. "I doubt that moment would've ever happened. We used to tell each other everything; we used to be so close. We promised that we would never go back to how we were at the beginning. But now it just seems that he is keeping secrets at every turn... first his dad, and then that strange man on the motorcycle from the other night... Neal knows him, he seems to _hate_ him, but he's refusing to say anything about it. He kept changing the subject onto Clara's birthday party whenever I've tried to bring it up. Ever since we've been to Storybrooke, he's been different. He's been the Neal I knew before; the one I loved when I gave Henry away. Not the one I love now, not the one I married."

Mary Margaret felt completely lost. "Emma - "

"I mean, I still love him, obviously." Emma said quickly, as if realizing how bad she was making the situation sound. Because, truthfully, things weren't that bad. There was nothing wrong with her marriage, especially nothing major which couldn't be talked through, and Emma knew that - but they had a lot of issues that they hadn't bothered to work out. Some of which had been left to fester since before Emma's stint in prison and Henry's birth, and had been brushed under the carpet to talk about 'later'. Only, later never came. And the longer Emma was in Storybrooke, the more she saw this different, more troubled side to Neal, and she knew that it was only a matter of time before everything came spilling out... because, she couldn't be the only one in there marriage who wanted to scream at the other when they had nothing to distract them. When they had no Operation Cobra, or the kids - when they were alone together (which, admittedly, wasn't very often) and had nothing to say. Emma loved Neal, but at times, she hated him too. "I just feel that he's pulling away from us."

Mary Margaret didn't know what to say, she was completely speechless. Luckily, she was saved by crashing into another shopper with a loud crash.

"I'm so sorry!" Mary Margaret exclaimed, her eyes widening in panic when she caught sight of Kathryn, the contents of both of their baskets scattered across the floor, gaining a lot of attention from the rest of the shoppers.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." Kathryn, who Emma had always thought was nice, smiled reassuringly at the school teacher while Regina, who had been standing a few feet away, showed a more hostile reaction.

Mary Margaret sighed. "I wasn't looking."

"Clearly." Regina said dryly, turning back to them patiently as the other three women started sorting through their shopping.

"Oh, is this yours?" Kathryn asked, holding up a large bar of Apollo chocolate, which Emma took gratefully. Teddy would never forgive her if they came home and didn't get him the chocolate he had been promised; she _really_ didn't want him in a bad mood for the party.

Mary Margaret smiled. "Yes, thank, and this must be - " she stopped. Emma looked around at her and her heart dropped when she saw the pregnancy test in Mary Margaret's hand, her friend's heartbreaking expression making her want to wrap her arms around her and comfort her. Within a moment, however, Mary Margaret forced a smile on her face and handed the box to Kathryn. "Good luck." She said brightly.

Kathryn smiled back just as brightly and said a quick "thank you," before she walked away.

Regina was radiating smugness as she walked closer to them, lowering her voice before she spoke. "I trust you'll both be discrete." She smirked, her eyes on Mary Margaret, who swallowed thickly. "Their lives are their business - not yours. Good day Mrs Cassidy."

As she walked away, Emma slipped her hand into Mary Margaret's, who squeezed it tightly in return.

...

 _ **Tallahassee, December 2002**_

 _"Please."_

 _Neal rolled his eyes at his girlfriend, who was grinning at her sweetly as she hung on his arm as they walked through the mall. They had rarely had a chance to spend time together during the last few months, not properly as a boyfriend and girlfriend should, which had undeniably put a bit of a strain on their relationship. They still loved each other, they would still die for each other, but they weren't as close as they used to be. A regret on both of their parts. But, Emma's new job had took up a lot of her time, and when she wasn't working Neal was doing the odd bit here and there to make as much as he could. So, the moment they found enough time spare, they decided to spend it together; they had decided to decorate their apartment for christmas, first they just needed the decorations. Emma was currently trying to convince Neal to get a really ugly - in his opinion, Emma repeatedly pointed out - angle to put at the top of the tree. And it was really ugly._

 _"Can't we just get a star." Neal protested as he continued down the aisle, really slow since Emma had a tight grip and was dragging her heels._

 _"But I like it."_

 _"But I don't."_

 _"I thought you loved me." Emma pouted, and Neal couldn't stop the amused smirk which spread across his face at that moment._

 _He sighed heavily. "I do."_

 _"Clearly not."_

 _Neal pursed his lips before looking down at her, and relenting. By the end of their shopping trip they had got a six foot tree, enough tree decorations to cover two trees (due to Emma loving, and needing, everything), hundreds of the trimmings and ornaments that Neal wasn't sure they had enough space for, but he was determined to make this christmas the best that they'd ever had. Emma and Neal had never had a proper christmas; spending them at foster homes and in prison was hardly something they could consider their best christmas' of all time. Neal liked to think that last christmas was the best ever; it was, after all, the christmas that Emma forgave him, that she gave him another chance. The christmas were he was able to carry on with his life and hope for a future with the love of his life. Emma, on the other hand, didn't see it as the best christmas ever, and she wanted the best christmas ever. And he would happily deliver. So he had no worries when they got to the checkout tills at the end of their shopping trip... at least not straight away._

 _"I'm sorry, sir." The young cashier wearing a Santa's hat, grimaced, handing him back his card. Neal's heart dropped, his smile falling from his face in an instant. "Your card has been declined."_

 _Neal stood their for a long moment unable to believe that this was happening, he had been so sure that with all of the jobs that he had been doing for the neighbours over the past few weeks that he would be able to afford this christmas. His face burned as he felt eyes on him, and he busied himself with putting his card in his wallet. He had never felt like such a failure before in his life._

 _"Here, I've got this." Emma's sweet voice said from his side and he looked up to see her handing over a wad load of cash to the cashier. Neal frowned, before shaking it off and letting it go. He wanted Emma to have the best christmas ever, the last thing he wanted to do was fight about money. He would let it go and move on, and they would have fun this christmas._

...

"Regina, I can't help the storm. You may struggle to believe this, but I am not a miracle worker!"

"I need you to look into someone, Sheriff." Regina said, as if Neal had never spoke in the first place. Neal rolled his eyes before turning back to the storm supplies in the back of the squad car, cringing when the rough winds hit the side of his face. "Someone's in town - someone new."

Neal froze. Despite the fact that he had spent all of the night before lay in bed awake - thinking of August and his reasons for coming to Storybrooke and the issues he could cause with not only him and Emma, but also with his father - he had gotten distracted with Clara's birthday and the preparations for her party. The party was originally supposed to be held in the park; Emma had spent weeks planning it, ever since before Neal had become Sheriff, before Graham had even died. But, with the storm, there was no way that they could safely have the party outdoors - thankfully, Granny had taken pity on them and was letting them hold it at the diner. But now it was a rush, and a struggle, to make rearrangements for Clara's birthday and also deal with the storm. He had other - more important - things to think about than August bloody Booth.

"Yeah, I know."

Regina perked up at his tone. "You've met him? Talked to him? What did he say?"

"Would you like a script? He asked for directions the other night." He told her, leaving out the fact that he had met him ten years before that conversation.

"I don't know who he is." Regina admitted, her frown showing her concern about the man's presence in her town. "I asked around, but no one seems to know anything. There's someone about him. Something familiar."

Had Regina met Pinocchio before she cast the curse? It would hardly be surprising; Henry had told him that Gepetto had been within Prince Charming and Snow White's inner circle, and had helped them by making the wardobe which had brought Emma... and August... into this world. But clearly Regina didn't know that part.

"Well, according to Henry, you cursed him." Neal muttered, uncharitably.

"What?" Regina snapped.

"Nothing."

"Sheriff, I need you to find out who he is, what he wants and what he's doing here."

"Wow, you can tell you aren't used to tourists. I can't look into him just because he decided to visit Storybrooke."

"Mr Cassidy, you _are_ going to do this, because I asked you to, and because you'll see it's the right thing to do."

"Oh yeah? And how's that?"

"Because he was in front of my house, taking a particular interest in the one thing we both care about." Regina said slyly, watching as Neal paused as her words registered. "Henry."

...

Neal could feel his anger rising as he watched the clock; he had only a few hours until Clara's birthday party started and the guests would start filing into Granny's and here he was waiting for August to decide to arrive at Mary Margaret's apartment. Neal had called him a while ago, demanding that they spoke in private, and, despite the promise to be there, August had yet to show his face and Neal had been left waiting.

By the time Neal heard a knock at the door, signaling August's arrival, his temper levels were already sky high and were showing no sign of lowering. As soon as he opened the door and was sure that it was August on the other side, he had already swung out and punched the smug looking man in the face so hard that he stumbled to the ground in front of him. Ignoring the satisfaction of getting the first hit in, Neal wasted no time in grabbing August by the collar of his leather jacket and pulling him into the apartment.

"You bastard." Neal seethed, once the door was slammed shut behind them.

Despite the split lip and the slightly dazed look on his face, August didn't lose an ounce of his humor. "Good to see you too, Baelfire." He chuckled.

"Don't call me that!" Neal snapped, automatically looking around as if checking to see whether anyone had heard his true name. Having August in Storybrooke was putting Neal on edge.

"So tense, people will think that you don't like me."

"You promised that you wouldn't come around my family again." Neal reminded him. A few days after Teddy was born, August had decided to make his annual visit and, to Neal's surprise, had promised to keep away as long as Neal and his kids didn't take Emma off track of her destiny - not that Neal had any say in the matter, it had happened like fate anyway. Of course, that didn't stop August from trying to get Neal (and Teddy, and then later Clara) out of Emma's life by the long line of postcards from different parts of the planet, but he had kept his promise through never showing up as he had done now.

August was unconcerned by Neal's anger as he shrugged. "Things change."

"She's in Storybrooke!" Neal yelled, glaring at him darkly. "She's working towards fullfilling her destiny - "

"Not fast enough." August interrupted, looking at Neal as if that was his fault. Neal let out an exasperated laugh.

"We've been here just over a month!" It's had to think that it had only been a few short weeks since he had found out about Henry, since the family had packed up and moved to this cursed, stupid town. It's already felt like a lifetime. "Was she supposed to break the curse in the first day?!"

"Why don't I get use a drink?" August offered, calmly, pulling out two bottles of beer from his rucksack. Neal let out a harsh breath but sat down, glaring at the man in front of him. "Now," August said after a long while of drinking in silence, watching as Neal placed his empty bottle on Mary Margaret's coffee table. He leaned forwards, looking at Neal seriously. "Tell me everything I need to know about the Dark One."

Neal stared at him, surprised by the sudden change in subject, but also August's complete lack of sense. Why on Earth would Neal tell August anything about his father? "What?" he let out an incredulous laugh.

"You seem confident about being able to urge Emma towards breaking the curse, and that's great an all, but I seriously doubt you have enough brain cells to be able to do that. So, I'm going to need a plan B."

"You are really - " Neal went to stand up so that he could punch August again but stopped when he felt lightheaded, the room starting to spin at a dangerous speed. He let himself fall back to couch. He blinked hard, confused before his eyes fell on the bottle that had once held his drink; as he looked closer, he noticed small particals of power at the bottom. "What the hell have you done?" he gasped, trying, and failing, to keep focused.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I just needed you to be honest; I found this neat little drug in India. It makes the person who takes it very willing to cooperate and yet they remember nothing when they wake up after a few hours, which is very helpful to me at this moment. You'll just have a bit of a hangover." August slapped Neal's face lightly, making him look at him. "Now, tell me everything I need to know about the Dark One."

...

 _ **Tallahassee, August 2003**_

 _"What the hell happened?" Emma snapped, looking between Neal, the landlord, and the pile of boxes outside the apartment block. She had just gotten back from work to find them arguing, the landlord with a piece of blood covered tissue hanging from his nose. The two men glared at each other._

 _"He's evicted us." Neal told her, not looking at her. Emma's eyes widened._

 _"Why?" she asked, looking towards the man who had been so kind and generous when they were unable to make the bills occasionally._

 _There was no sign of the kind and generous man now as he rolled his eyes at her, looking at them scornfully. "You couldn't make several payments. You're out."_

 _"I thought that was fine. I thought he was giving leeway." Emma said, feeling completely lost as she turned back to her boyfriend._

 _Neal swallowed hard, glancing at Emma from the corner of his eyes, his face burning red with humiliation as he noticed the other tenants looking out their window to watch the scene outside. "I didn't want you to worry."_

 _"Your deadbeat boyfriend knows the score. I gave you three weeks, several times throughout this year, and you failed to deliver. So, you're out, and you're boyfriend is going to jail once I press charges for assult."_

 _"Come on!" Emma snapped._

 _"I'm sorry, miss. But I'm an honest man."_

 _"Really?" Emma said sceptically. "So, while we're talking about honesty, maybe I should inform your wife of your Tuesday night meetings with our next door neighbour, 4B."_

 _The man flushed. "I don't know what you're talking out."_

 _"The walls of your building are very thin. We'd had to invest in ear plugs to block out the noise."_

 _"I didn't need your help." Neal snapped when the landlord had walked off, with the promise that the police wouldn't be called. Neal turned his back to her as he started to pile the boxes into the bug. "I had it under control."_

 _Emma frowned at him. "Yeah, it looked like it." She sighed, before shrugging it off and moving to help him._

...

"Hey, this is Neal. I can't come to the phone right now, Teddy's probably nicked it. So leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Rather than leaving a message, however, as she had done several times before, Emma hung up with a frustrated hiss. She forced a smile onto her face when Clara looked up at her from her place on the floor, playing pass the parcel with the other children. The party had started hours ago, and was going on longer than expected due to the fact that they were all stuck inside Granny's, unable to go out because of the storm. Both Neal and Mary Margaret weren't there, and their absence had been noticed by her daughter, who kept looking at the door expectantly. Atleast Mary Margaret didn't have an obligation to come, and would undoubtably have a very good reason as to why she couldn't make it - she had, afterall, spent the best part of a week helping Emma plan everything. Neal, Emma could only assume, was stuck helping others with the storm, she couldn't imagine another reason for him missing his daughters birthday, especially after everything they went through getting her here in the first place.

This time last year, around this exact time, Clara was born and what was supposed to be one of the happiest times of their lives turned out to become a nightmare. Clara hadn't been breathing when she had been born and had spent months in a ventilator before she was fully able to breath on her own. They had been lucky to make it to one week, let alone one whole year, and both Neal and Emma had wanted to celebrate it. Shame one of us is missing, Emma thought to herself bitterly, before catching sight of the stranger walking into the diner from the Inn entrance.

Emma took one last look at her phone, glancing at the kids - who were completely oblivious to Emma's tension as they played happily together - before walking over to the stranger and sitting down opposite him. "We need to talk."

He was clearly amused when he looked up at her, as if he had expected her to come over before now. "Why?" he asked, feigning confusion. Emma placed her hands on her hips, staring at the man intently.

"Because you're suspicious."

"Sitting here, out in the open, drinking coffee." He mused, his smirk growing. "I wonder what kind of hell I would've raised had I ordered a donut."

"You were talking to Henry."

"You mean the little kid who came upto me asking me questions? Is that unusual for him? Being curious and precocious?" he asked, and Emma looked down. Because it hardly surprised her that her son had walked upto a complete stranger, especially a stranger who he believed shouldn't be able to enter the town, and ask him questions about himself. Maybe listening to overprotective parents about their concerns on this man wasn't the best idea.

"What were you doing outside his house?" she had to ask.

The stranger shrugged. "My bike broke down. It happens."

"Why are you at my daughter's birthday party?"

"Last time I checked, this is still an open dinner. And there is a storm outside."

"There's always the inn. Besides, it's calming down out there."

He raised his eyebrow. "Would you like me to leave?" he asked, a strange tone to his voice as he looked her dead in the eye. Did she? She wasn't like Neal and Regina, she didn't see a problem with a stranger in Storybrooke and him talking to Henry seemed innocent enough. She hesitated for a moment before she sat down in front of him.

"Your mysterious box - what's in it?" she asked instead, looking at the wooden box at his feet.

"It's awfully frustrating not knowing, isn't it?" he chuckled. She narrowed her eyes at him, not in the mood for joking around.

"Just tell me."

"Why? Is it illegal to carry around a box in these parts?"

"No, of course it's not."

"You really want to know what's inside it, don't you?"

"No." She said. He gave her a look. "Well, maybe."

The man sighed heavily, leaning forwards on the table. "I'm going to make you wait." He said, much to Emma's disappointment. "You're going to have to wait a long time and watch me carry it around. Hauling it to strange and mysterious places. And, with each passing moment, the mystery will become more tantalizing. Your imagination will inflame, but so will your frustration. Never knowing - only guessing - what could possibly be inside that box?" he said rather quickly, in an almost whisper. Before he leaned back and started to speak more clearly. "Or, you could let me buy you a drink sometime and I'll tell you right now."

"You want to buy you a drink?"

"Yes."

"Okay. A drink it is."

"You're husband won't mind."

Given his reaction to this weird, but oddly enticing man, Emma knew that he would. She knew that Neal would very much mind if she were to have a drink with this man - but, her anger clouding her judgement, she couldn't bring herself to care. "Who cares?" she snapped, glancing over at the kids once again so she didn't see the man's smirk widen, before turning her attention back to him when he leaned down for the box. He placed it on the table and, very slowly as if to draw out the moment, opened it to reveal an old typewriter. Emma frowned. "Really?"

He shrugged. "I'm a writer."

"That's why you're here?"

"I find this place provides... inspiration. Don't you?" he asked as he closed the box and locks it, getting up from the booth.

"Wait, have you been here before?" Emma asked, trying to squeeze out a bit more information.

"I didn't say that."

"What about that drink?"

"I said sometime." The man winked before leaving the diner, leaving Emma watching after him with interest.

...

 _ **Tallahassee, 25th December 2003**_

 _As Emma drove out of Tallahasee in the beat up yellow bug, she found that she could hardly breathe. Everything had seemed fine; they had gotten a new apartment, and they were settling into a routine. Neal had even gotten a job so that had gotten rid of a lot of the stress that had hung around them for months and months. She had finally thought that they would make it, that everything would be okay. All of that had changed with a ring. A beautiful, perfect, blue sapphire ring which Neal had said was a replica of his mothers which he had gotten made just for her; it hadn't been a good omen for his parents, but he hoped that they could beat the odds, he had said from his spot in front of her, down on one knee while she stared at him like an idiot. She would never forget the devastating hurt and betrayal in Neal's eyes when she had said no._

 _"Why?" he whispered, standing in the middle of the room half an hour later, still holding the black velvet box in his hands as he watched her pack her things. He had told her that she didn't need to go, that they could stay together and not get married, but she knew that this was the right thing to do. She couldn't be with him after this, there would be too much anxiety, he could grow to resent her for not marrying him and she could get to the point where she would feel obligated to accept his proposal one day - it was best for both of them if she just left._

 _She couldn't bring herself to look at him, not again. She didn't know if looking at him would change her mind. "Because..." was all she could manage. Why couldn't she say yes? She loved him, she loved him more than words could describe, and if he had proposed before everything - before she had gone to prison and had his baby, before they had spent the last two years in Tallahasee 'living the dream' - she would've surely said yes. But she couldn't now._

 _"Don't you love me? Is that it?" Neal asked, quietly. He sounded so broken, so unlike himself that Emma paused. "Do you hate me because of what I did?"_

 _"Yes." She blurted out before she could stop herself. Neal cringed and looked down at the box, which made a sharp thud when he shut it, hidding the ring from sight._

 _"I don't know what I can do to make it up to you. I've done everything I can think of and it will never be enough."_

 _Emma let out a bitter laugh. She knew she wasn't being fair, Neal had been wonderful, but her anger was clouding any logic that entered her mind; there Neal was, looking like a wounded animal, barely able to meet her gaze in case her was subject to her abuse. Because she was the villian in this situation. All because she didn't want to marry him... and that made her very angry. "What have you done, Neal?" she snapped, tears bluring her vision as she glared at the side of his head. "All you've managed to do is make us homeless on numerous occasions, had me support you because you're incapable of getting a job, and sit on the sofa watching daytime television."_

 _"Because you're so perfect." Neal snapped, tears falling down his face as he dropped his hands, the velvet box falling to his feet, as he turned to face. "You never let anyone in, Emma! I've had to fight for every inch."_

 _"Because you broke me! You left me to go to jail and for what? Because you couldn't face daddy, well I would happily tell him where you are if I had his number before you need to grow some balls and face him!"_

 _"Like you've done with your past? Emma there is no way you'll find your family. What do you have to go off? A blanket." Neal said, his voice softening. He didn't want to hurt her, he truly believed that she was wasting her time searching - he knew she was, but he could hardly tell her that. "You never let anyone close enough to get through to you, Emma."_

 _"What do you want from me?!" Emma screeched, her voice ripping through the room. "What? Do you want us to get married and have a million babies? Do you want that happily ever after because that is bullshit, Neal! You can barely look after yourself, let alone a family."_

 _"Why would I want to have children with you, you don't have a motherly bone in your body." Neal scoffed. His words, however, made Emma freeze._

 _"If you were to have children, you'll abandon them just like your father did you!" The moment the words left her lips, she knew that she had overstepped the line, but she didn't care. Neal may not know it, but he had hurt her more than anything else in the world with that one sentence._

 _Neal's eyes hardered. "And it's no wonder why no one ever wanted you."_

 _They stood in the middle of the room staring at each other for the longest of time, before Emma grabbed what little she had packed and stormed out, leaving half of her things before in the small apartment that she and Neal shared. Neal didn't make any effort to follow her._

...

When Neal woke up, he was met with the sight of his wife's enraged face above his own. It took him a moment to realise where he was, as he blinked around owlishly. He wasn't quite sure how he got there, but he was lying sprawled out across Mary Margaret's sofa, empty bottles of beer scattered around the floor and the coffee table in front of him. That explained the massive headache, Neal thought to himself, but then he paused, confused. He had never drunk that much, not since Teddy was born - he had never had too much to drink that he couldn't even remember starting drinking in the first place. From what he remembered, they were setting things up for the storm and... Clara's birthday party. Neal's eyes widened as he took in the darkened room; he glanced at the clock, his heart sinking when he saw that it was gone seven in the evening. He had missed his daughter's first birthday party.

"Where are the kids?" he asked Emma warily, cringing when his head throbbed.

Emma glared down at him, her arms folded across her chest. "Upstairs. I didn't think they needed to see their father in this state." Neal closed his eyes, placing his head in his hands as he sat up, ignoring the way the room span. How much _had_ he had to drink? "Clara was in tears by the end of the party."

"I'm so sorry."

Emma scoffed in disbelief. "Your sorry? Is that all you can say? Today was important, Neal. We needed to make everything perfect for her."

"She'll have other birthday's, Emma." Neal said carefully, his guilt already dripping through his voice but Emma brushed it off, she was too angry to care how he felt about missing the party. He had brought it on himself. "We can't always make up for how she came into this world, and you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened." For months after Clara was born, Emma was quiet and, from what Neal could tell, was full of guilt before Clara's labor had been brought on early after a confrontation with one of the people Emma had been tracking.

"I blame you." Emma blurted out, making Neal look up sharply.

"What?"

"For Clara, I blame you. I had to keep working, I didn't have a choice because you had gotten yourself fired." She snapped out. Neal let out a bitter laugh as he stood up to face her.

"Is that how we're going to do this, play the blame game?"

"It's all I seem to do." Emma continued, as if he had never spoke. It's like she had built all of her anger up and it was just spilling out, like she was unable to stop herself. "You could only get a part time job before we came to Storybrooke - "

"Because _you_ signed me up for college. Besides, we both agreed that it would be better that way, so that one of us could spend more time with the kids."

"And now that we're in Storybrooke, you're never around."

"I'm around plenty!"

"And, even when your home, you're not really _here_ , are you?" Emma asked, her voice rising even higher. Neal was sure that, despite Emma putting the kids upstairs, they would be able to clearly hear them anyways. "You've gone back to how you were before! You're keeping secrets from me all the time; I know all about your dad, Mary Margaret told me, she also told me that he's upto something and from the looks of it, you're letting him get away with it anyway! You know how dangerous he is, he showed us that when he nearlly let you and Regina burn to death. You act as though your job gives you the right to be on a 'hero's mission', like every single incident in this town, no matter how small, could be a conspiracy, and you humor Henry way too much. It's like you believe his stupid fantasies yourself. You need to grow up and start taking responsibility for your actions!"

"You know what, Emma!" Neal snapped, finally having enough of being blamed for things he had no control over. "You can blame me, and you can blame this stupid town, but the only one truly to blame here is you! We wouldn't even be here if you hadn't have ditched Henry the moment he took his first breath!"

Emma's eyes widened, and Neal regretted his words the moment they left his lips, but he couldn't take them back now. Even if Emma was willing to listen, he didn't know if he would be willing to take them back, because he honestly believed them, and admitting it outloud was a great relief. Neal felt a sharp pain in his cheek as his head snapped to the side and a loud crack echoed through the room. By the time Neal turned back to his wife, she was already half way up the stairs, clearly putting an end to the argument but making it clear that he wasn't welcome to be with his family for the night.

Looks like it's a night on the sofa again, Neal thought grimly as he walked over to the sink, feeling like his throat was sandpaper. He froze, however, as he after he had downed a large glass of water, when he looked down and saw beer in the sink. He stared at the liquid, puzzled, before shaking it off and going to set up his bed for the night.

Meanwhile, at Granny's, August sat down at the desk in his room, a slight smirk on his face as he leaned back in his seat.

...

AN: Well, that well and truly blew up in Neal's face... I feel like I need to explain this, since I showed this to my friend and she wasn't keen on it, apparently she thought that it seemed too sudden until I explained it to her and she understand why I had included it. Basically, Neal and Emma _do_ seem to have the 'perfect' relationship where nothing the other one does can faze them; that, of course, isn't true. Instead of facing their problems at the time, they bottle it up and let their resentment grow - such as Emma's feelings on Clara's birth (which will come up again at some point) - before there is an incident where they can't hold it in anymore and they had an argument like this one, where one comment could potentially end their relationship for good. Like with the build up to the argument you've just seen in the flashbacks, this argument, while rather small compared to the ones that some couples have, will have a big impact on Neal and Emma... Please don't kill me. Emma and Neal are better united, especially against Regina, but there were too many issues that weren't being resolved and I felt like they needed some time to do that. Plus, August needed to do some meddling - and, who knows what Neal has told him without even realising it... Anyway, I hope that explained everything and you're not confused - if you have any other questions, or if you want to scream at me, leave me and review. I'm actually expecting you lot to hate me at the moment...

 **Reviews...**

 **-** Thank you, I'm glad you're liking it :) He will try, but Neal may be a bit of a problem when it comes to that...

 **Driving in -** That's a good point, and I'm surprised that no one has pulled me up on it before - the reason that I keep having her say 'me' and 'I' is because, despite being with Neal, she is still used to being on her own. She has Neal and this whole family but, to her, she is working against the world - it's a mixture of working on her own doing her Bail Bondsman thing and also her fear of abandonment. Series two will be interesting to explore, as was the Belle episode which I can't wait to upload (it's one of those chapters that I'm trying to rush the chapters before it so that I can get it to you guys ;D).

 **Bookwork0913 -** Yay! Don't get me wrong, I still love CaptainSwan; I think they've grown on me (like a fungus) more than anything else. But I crave Swanfire, and then I come on here and it just seems that it's CaptainSwan this, or CaptainSwan that... :/ It's nice to know that there are more of us out there. Me too, I can't wait for 5B - I'm hoping we'll see a few familiar faces... I can really see August doing that - in fairness, he doesn't really seem to give a damn about anyone other than himself, so he could throw Neal to the sharks towards the end of this series... Both Neal and Belle did seem to get thrown aside for the other characters, and in quite a few of the situations, they were two of the most vital in helping out. I think Neal desperately needed to be given more of a front seat, as will Belle when she finally arrives...

 **ramen-luver101 -** Not then no... I felt so satisfied having him punch August in this chapter, I may even squeeze in a few more of those moments later on ;)

 **crazyhpcfan -** I loved having Neal punch August in the face; he just has one of those smug faces which really need it. Yeah, nothing is going to run smoothly between these two - Neal feels that August was part of the reason why he and Emma didn't work out well at the beginning, along with all of the meddling that August has done in the past - which we will cover later on - which has made their relationship rocky over the years, not to mention the fact that Henry was raised by someone else for the first ten years of his life. Neal _really_ can't stand August, and he isn't very happy that he's in Storybrooke, especially now that he's starting to cause even more problems for him - as you can see in this chapter. Yes, that will backfire completely ;) that's going to be fun to write, and hopefully just as fun for you to read.

 **FictionLover12 -** Lol, sorry that I got you all worked up only to ruin it, I just couldn't resist :D Yeah, there are going to be more moments like in this chapter between August and Neal; especially with August's interest and connection to Neal's wife... I do quite like Lily so I had to bring her up at some point, although I do feel that that storyline was kinda pointless, it didn't really go anywhere really. Yes, it showed that Emma had some darkness within her, but the Dark Swan storyline showed that much better, in my opinion. I don't know, I'm hoping they're going to go back to that storyline at some point and take it somewhere else. Good idea; I always feel slightly anxious these days when I'm sitting down to watch another episodes - I think they've changed it so much from when they started that I'm worried I'm going to watch an episode, hate it and then decide that I can't be bothered with it anymore :/ I'm really excited for 5B (can't believe we have to wait so long) but I'm really interested to see whether they bring Neal back into it, but also not sure if I want that to happen, either - after all, I hated the way they took the storyline before, I hope that if they do bring him back, they do him and the storyline some justice... Thanks for pointing that out to me; the thing is, I write several chapters in advance to the ones that I upload, but those are always rough drafts and then I go back and edit the ones that are next in line to be uploaded so that they actually make sense - I usually catch everything, but I must have missed that line :/ I've gone back and fixed it now. Thanks for letting me know, I really appreciate it. If you spot anything wrong with this one, please let me know :)

 **-** I will do :D thanks again.

 **Rainbow2.0 -** I know, I love leaving out little hints about what could/will/may not happen :D I'm glad I've managed to get you so excited, and I hope I meet you expectations with all of those little hints ;)

 **kingacar4 -** Thank you :) I'm not sure; I haven't planned that far ahead. I think Rumple's downfall spiral is the result of Neal's death but I think that there will be a lot of issues to go through regardless of that... I'll have to think on that a bit more.

 **steelneena -** Thank you :D I think I'm just a bit more self-conscious around this area of series one because it's not really my favourite, same with this episode. I'm glad you liked the interactions though, and Emma's thoughts - I was worried that I wouldn't be able to convey Emma in the right way and show some of her conflicts compared to Neal's :)

 **Many Voices in My Head -** That's a relief - I hope that your friend likes it too and doesn't hate the sight of it before you finish forcing them to read it :D Yeah, over than the scene with August when he believes he's Bae, Rumple has never really opened up about how much that his son meant to him and, considering how much he'd done to get him back, it was really sad :( I think it's really needed. The main thing I feel about August is that he's manipulative, and it's only a matter of time before he tries something with Henry - especially since he's going up against the kid's dad. Henry's a smart kid though, and he loves his dad a lot so August isn't really going to know what he's getting himself into.

 **SkyBlueSw -** I'm looking forwards to it to ;) it's going to be so infuriating writing more scenes like the ones in the last chapter...


	11. Chapter 11

**Fruit from the Poisonous Tree**

Neal cringed as they came to a stop right next to the playground, only to see the castle - which had once been the Cassidy family's safe haven/headquarters for Operation Cobra - was almost completely destroyed because of the storm that had ripped through Storybrooke, forcing the residents to stay in doors and bringing the town to a complete stand-still. Ever since their argument only a few short days ago, Emma and Neal hadn't been on speaking terms; speaking to each other around the kids when they were all together or not at all. Neal had hoped that some family time at the castle would be able to bring them back together, but it looked like that was never going to happen now, and he could only imagine how much more tense everything was going to be when the kids saw the extent of the damage on their favourite place in Storybrooke, possibly even in the world.

It was Teddy who had first seen the wreck and he had let out a small wail which had alerted his parents of it as well. He had looked so devastated that Neal's heart broke as he instantly squatted down next to him, hugging him tightly to his side, while Teddy buried his face into Neal's neck, which had become considerably wet due to his son's tears. "It's okay." He told the boy softly, rubbing his back comfortingly as the five year old gripped onto him. "It's only a bit of wood. It can be fixed."

"Hey, kid." Emma said, Clara on her hip, when she saw Henry, aprehensive of his own reaction to the destroyed castle behind her. Henry, not even sparing her a glance, rode straight past her, his own look of devastation mixed with determination as he rode towards the place which had been his only comfort for so long, especially before the rest of his family had joined him in the cursed town. It had been all he had. "Nice to see you, too." Emma sighed, though she wasn't offended. She had her own unsettled feeling in her stomache as she looked at the pile of debris, an ache which she couldn't shake off, similar to the one that she felt whenever she was alone with Neal. Something damaged, looking as though it is beyong repair...

"The storm!" Henry exclaimed, jumping off his bike and running the rest of the way to the castle, leaving the bike in a heap. He was joined by the rest of his family as he dropped to his knees next to the pile of wood and began digging through the sand with his hands.

"It's okay," Emma said softly. "We can fix it. I'll talk to Marco."

"Do you think it's still here?" Henry asked, sand already half way up his arms, his eyes lit up almost frantically as he searched for 'it'.

Emma frowned. "What are you looking for?" she asked, confused.

"My book."

"Why'd you bury it here?"

"So my mom doesn't find it." Henry told her, as if it should be obvious.

"I thought kids hid things under their mattress, these days?" Neal mused, as Teddy, understanding how dire the situation actually was for Operation Cobra, began to help Henry digging through the dirt. The 'mom' in Emma wanted desperately to scold them, but she had never wanted to be one of the pushy mothers, so she pushed the urge aside. Although, she couldn't stop herself in time before she rolled her eyes when Neal dropped to his knees and began helping as well - _they_ were children who believed in an impossible fantasy, what was his excuse to act like a child?

Henry sighed, disappointed with his dad, who usually got his logic when it came to this kind of stuff, even more than Emma did. In his eyes, the fact that his dad had been raised in the Enchanted Forest, should give them an advanatage, especially since his mother was oblivious to it, as well. But, he could hardly blame his dad for being a little slow; he'd been in the world without magic for too long, Henry decided, he would be better at this once they break the curse and everyone went back. "That's the first place the Evil Queen would look." He stated.

"You could've left it with us."

"That's the second place." Teddy pointed out, Henry nodded in agreement as the three of them pulled up a red metal box. Henry, his hands shaking, opened the box anxiously and breathed as sigh of relief when he saw that the book was, indeed, inside the box.

"It's still here. Good."

"So, your mom doesn't know about the castle?" Emma asked, surprised. Somehow, Neal doubted that - he had a sneaky suspicion that Regina knew everything they were doing, but kept the information to herself until she was ready to use it to her own advantage. The more Neal knew that woman, the more she reminded him of the Dark One, and the more he felt uncomfortable leaving Henry with her. Rumplestiltskin had ruined his childhood, the last thing Neal wanted was for the Evil Queen to do the same to his son.

Henry, on the other hand, shook his head adamently, clearly believing otherwise. "No." He said. "This is our secret." He said, closing the box and reburying it in the dirt just in time, when Regina arrived, pulling up next to the squad car.

"Henry! Henry!" She called, a sour look on her face as she walked over to them. They turned, trying to remain innocent looking, but there was no suspicion in her eyes as she gazed at them darkly. "I've been looking everywhere for you. You know you have a session with Archie this morning." She glared at Neal and Emma. "I should've known he was with you lot. Henry. Car. Now." She said sternly. Henry ran off, sending them a small smile as he went. Once he was gone, Regina turned back to them, her arms crossing across her chest. "You let the kids play here?" she asked, her voice dripping with contempt and disapproval.

Neal clenched his teeth; she could hardly scold them for their parenting. "It was fine until the storm hit it."

"But we can fix it." Emma added firmly. Regina scoffed

"Well, can you fix a cracked cranium? Because that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collpases under on of their weights? I'm hardly surprised that you're not thinking about Henry or his safety, but for your own children? You two just want to find ways around me. Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. People can get hurt."

Emma's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean?" she challenged.

"I'm just saying that it wouldn't look good for either of you if social services get involved."

"Don't threaten us, Miss Mills." Neal said calmly. "Social services would be able to see that our children are well looked after, which may actually work in our favour."

Regina smirked. "In what way?"

"In our custody battle for Henry." Neal shot back, making Regina's smirk fade. "After all, the threat of losing our other two children may make us realise that we want all three."

Regina pursed her lips while Emma, despite her anger and coldness towards her husband, bit her lips to stop herself from flashing the woman a trimuphant smirk. "Look, you're the Sheriff now." She snapped at Neal, as she turned to storm off. "It's time to be responsible."

...

"Don't let our feelings cloud our judgment? That's all Regina ever does!" Emma glared at the table in front of her when they had arrived in Granny's diner. "And to criticise _our_ parenting? At least our kids aren't miserable." She turned to Teddy, who practically had his head against the table, colouring in yet another one of the puzzles in the children's menu. Granny, having seen how much Teddy loved them, had added even more, finding Teddy too adorable to say no to. "You're not miserable, are you darling?" she asked, brushing his brown hair away from his forehead.

"Nope." Teddy shook his head, never taking his eyes off the menu.

Mary Margaret smiled sympathetically. "Well, she's just uset because you two and Henry have a special place, and bond, and she... she doesn't."

"How'd she find out about the castle in the first place?" Emma sighed, slumping back in her seat.

"She's the Mayor." Neal grimaced, trying to feed Clara some mushed up carrots but his angelic daughter was just scowling at him, as if he had personally offended her by his choice in her meal as she stubbornly kept her mouth closed. "She knows everything."

"Everything okay?" Emma asked, frowning in concern when Mary Margaret glanced at her phone and shifted in her seat when she read the text.

Mary Margaret hesitated, looking awkward while Neal and Emma watched her, intrigued. While her dad was distracted, Clara tipped the rest of the jar of mushy carrots into the bottom of her bag, for one of her parents to find later, before sitting back in her seat innocently. "Yeah, I just need to go. Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry." Emma grimaced.

"I wish everyone else did, too."

"I think they do, they just don't acknowledge it." Neal replied grimly as Mary Margaret left, giving them a grim and sympathetic smile as she did so. One thing Neal was aware of when they had arrived in the small Maine town was the way the residents of Storybrooke averted their eyes when they were in the same room as Regina and Henry, particularly when the Mayor was being too hard on him. They obviously knew but, because of Regina's power and hold on the people in the town, they kept out of her business in the hope that she kept out of theirs.

"I can grant your wish." A voice broke Neal out of his bitter thoughts. He looked up to see a clearly intoxicated Sidney Glass sitting down before them, right next to Teddy who cringed at the strong smell of the man. Neal shifted uncomfortably in his seat - he'd had bad experiences with drunks when he had been living on the streets. The last thing he wanted was for his kids to be around them too. Emma, noticing his discomfort and the fact that Sidney was mainly talking to Neal, got up and moved the kids away. Clara let out a happy giggle, thinking that her little plot had worked. Neal relaxed and focused on the man in front of him, who didn't seem to notice that it was just the two of them, having been gazing over Neal's shoulder repeatedly, unable to focus on him.

"Maybe you should have some food, Sidney." Neal suggested, pushing his plate towards the man. "Soak up some of that whiskey."

Sidney ignored the plate. "You want to show this town who the Mayor really is? I can help."

"I thought you two were best mates?"

"The Mayor and I are done."

"Sure you are." Emma scoffed, having dropped the kids of on another table so that they were further away from Sidney but close enough for them to keep an eye on them. Neal glanced at her in surprise - it had been the first time in days that she had willingly stayed around him for more than a few moments without the kids or Mary Margaret present - but he didn't get his hopes up, he was almost certain that the only reason she was by his side now, was because Regina's pet was off his leesh a little. Sidney's eyes narrowed, and he leaned forwards. Both Neal and Emma cringed as the smell got stronger.

"She got me fired from the paper." He snapped, before lowering his voice when his comment caused a few people to turn and stare. "She made a fool of me in the election. So, I started working on an expose on the Mayor's office, and I found something she didn't want found."

Emma's interest peaked a little, but Neal, not believing that Sidney would ever turn against the Evil Queen, rolled his eyes. Emma, seeing this, pushed away her interest with a sigh. "Sidney, you're drunk. Go home - sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore."

"I thought I was talking to the organ grinder and not the monkey." Sidney looked directly at Neal, who couldn't help but smirk at Emma's offended expression.

"Don't let the badge fool you." Neal told him. "I'm the monkey."

"Damn straight." Emma muttered. Neal sighed quietly, wishing that comment had brought out at least a small smile, but Emma went back to scowling at the table in front of her.

Sidney sighed heavily before handing Emma a business card, when Neal just stared at him blankly when it was offered to him. He may want Regina to pay for everything she'd done to Henry, he may want the rest of Storybrooke to see (and acknowledge) what she really is, but he didn't trust Sidney as far as he could throw him. Regina had too tight a hold on him; he had seen it before with Pan and the lost boys, when some of them were aparently 'done' with him and wanted to join Bae in finding a way off that island. They had always shown their true colors in the end. "Call me." He said. "Storybrooke deserved to know the truth about her."

Emma gave the man a tight smile as she pocketed the card without even sparing it a glance. "Thanks."

The two of them waited for Sidney to move but, instead, he got out a small bottle and poured it into Neal's coffee, starting to drink out of it as if it was his own. The couple shared a glance before Emma subtly guestured for them to leave - Neal was more than happy to comply.

"Well," Emma said quietly, once they had reached the kids table. "That was awkward."

Neal glanced over his shoulder briefly, noticing the man sit up a little straighter once they had left, his drinking less determined now that he was on his own. His eyes narrowed in suspicion before he turned back to Emma. "Just a bit."

"Do you think we should take him up on the offer?"

Neal looked at his wife who, for once, seemed a little more interested in breaking the rules and exposing Regina for who and what she was. Of course, Neal knew that it would only be a matter of time before that happens anyway, but while he was less concerned about the destruction she caused - more intent on picking up the pieces where Henry was concerned - he was starting to get really annoyed with the lack of rights he had for his own son, compared to someone like the Evil Queen. Emma didn't have the knowledge that within a year Regina would be exposed for exactly who she is; and was, therefore, a little more tempted in bringing her down now, even if the offer was from a drunk.

"No." Neal decided finally, and Emma's face fell. "We don't want to get caught up in all of that mess. We just need to be there for Henry."

The look on Emma's face clearly said that she didn't think Neal's answer was the right one and she clearly blamed him for that too, but kept her comments - which she seemed to be itching to throw at him, but couldn't with the kids at the table with them - to herself and turned her attention away when her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and her green eyes hardened. "Looks like we need to be there for him earlier than I had predicted." She muttered.

Neal sighed heavily. "What has she done now?"

"I'm not sure yet. Something to do with..." Emma hesitated, glancing down at Teddy. "The C.A.S.T.L.E. You or me this time?"

So far, Neal had loved living in a small town like Storybrooke - something he had never expected to before - but the one thing that really annoyed both him and Emma was the lack of childcare during weekends. They had managed to get by though getting Teddy a place in Mrs Poppins Children Centre while Clara spent her day in her pen at the station, but (other than asking Mary Margaret or Ashley to babysit) there was barely anything that Neal and Emma could do during the weekend. So, they kept their arrangement from before Graham died and alternated when it came to childcare and policing. More often than not - because of how quiet Storybrooke really was - it was a choice between staying with Teddy and Clara, or going to help Henry with a Regina issue. A choice which, neither of them really wanted to make, so they tried to avoid it as much as possible. Even now, when Neal wanted to shout more home truths out to his wife, despite how many slaps he gets in return, and Emma looking like she wanted to rip Neal's throat out every time she looked at him; they liked to show a united front in front of Regina. But, if she was doing something with the castle, they wouldn't only be dealing with one sad kid, they'd be dealing with two, and it would only be a matter of time before one of them snapped in front of her.

"I'm not sure I can deal with Regina right now. I think I might strangle her."

"Which is why you're the best person to go." Emma said, with a forced smile for Teddy and Clara's benefit, as she got up and left the table. Neal watched as Emma kissed their kids before walking off, offering him only a quick 'goodbye' before she left, leaving Neal feeling empty. For years before they arrived in Storybrooke, years even before Teddy had come onto the scene, Emma had kissed him goodbye when they had to leave each other. Neal couldn't believe how much he missed a simple kiss.

...

"Hey, what happened?" Emma asked when she appeared at Henry's side, her own heart clenching when she saw the construction team tearing down the place which had become special to their family. "I came as soon as I could." She whispered, glancing down at her son to see him staring at the remains of the castle in horror.

"The castle!" He sobbed, as tears continued to slip down his face as he watched the destruction in front of him. "She's tearing the whole thing down!" He ran forward and Emma almost reached out to pull him back, but he stopped before he could be in any real danger, staring down at the ground where he had buried the book. "My book! It's gone!"

Emma's gaze turned to the side, where Regina was standing, watching the destruction with an odd look of satisfaction on her face. Fuming, Emma stormed towards the Mayor, glaring at her when she came to a stop in front of her. "Congratulations, Madam Mayor." She spat. Regina only raised an eyebrow. "You destroyed the thing he loves."

"A dangerous thing that can only hurt Henry and others, including your own children." Regina said, as if speaking to a child. "You see me as a villain, Mrs Cassidy, but that's just your perception and you're wrong. Learn your place in this town or, soon enough, you, your deadbeat husband, and your little brats won't be in it."

Emma watched as the woman walked off, the arrogance and smugness rolling off her in waves. Her gaze switched to Henry, who was silently sobbing as his adopted mother urged him to walk away from his special place, too busy with her own happiness that she didn't notice Henry's distress. Emma reached into her pocket and dialed the number on the business card, which she had never intended to use before that moment.

"Sidney? Hi, I'm in. I want everyone to know who she really is."

...

Sidney had asked to meet Emma along a usually-deserted road, underneath a tunnel which Emma, despite her new position as Deputy, had never been to before. Somewhere they wouldn't be overheard, she had understood. She wasn't overly concerned about being alone with Sidney in a hidden spot, where nobody would know whether she was being attacked - it was _Sidney_ after all. Emma doubted he would be able to take her, even if he had the courage to try. Despite that, she had made every effort to avoid telling Neal about the meeting, or about her decision to ally herself to Regina's pet in the first place.

Neal's words, no matter how true, had hurt her and they were still running around and around in her head days later. She didn't want his help with this, she didn't want him involved at all. For once, they wouldn't be joined at the hip. She relied on him too much, and he had too tight a hold on her. She wanted them to be Emma and Neal, not 'the Cassidy's'. With how they were at the moment, it looked like that was inevitable and she was going to have to get used to that, maybe even permanently. Emma shook her head firmly to clear it as Sidney walked over to her.

The first words out of the ex-reporters mouth instantly put her in a bad mood. "Where's the Sheriff?"

"He sent me." She snapped. "Alright. I'm listening. So, what do you know about her?" she asked, before he could question her further, getting straight down to business.

"Fifty thousand dollars." Sidney said in return, making Emma frown.

"I'm sorry?"

"Fifty grand out of the budget is missing and Regina is responsible."

Emma sighed. Well, that was worth all of the sneaking around, and the lying. She didn't like lying to Neal, despite having done so to keep Henry's existence a secret for ten years, and she knew that Neal hated lying to her just as much, she knew how much he felt guilty for keeping something from her; it seemed that all they did these days was lie to each other, and keep secrets. "That's it? That's what you have on her?" It was hardly useful if she was going to help her kid. Sidney shook his head, looking disappointed.

"The money is just the tip of the iceberg. We figure out what she's doing and it all falls apart - it all crumbles. And we'll finally learn her secrets. You see what she is. I see it. All we need is a crack in the mirror to show everyone. I'm telling you - this is it."

Emma thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. What's your plan?"

"Tap her phone. GPS her car. Hack into her emails. Dip into your bail bondsperson bag of tricks." He suggested eagerly, but his expression fell when Emma shook her head firmly.

"No. I'm Deputy now, I have to be responsible. I want to do this by the book."

Sidney rolled his eyes with a sigh. "She's going to know that you're on to her - sooner than later. Are you prepared for her wrath?"

Emma smirked. "Oh yeah." She replied, confidently.

"Good, because I wasn't."

"If you thought she was so terrifying, how did you allow yourself to end up in her pocket?"

"I used to think she was a different person."

...

When Neal returned home that evening with Mary Margaret and the kids, he was surprised to find his wife already at home - considering she said that she had told him that she was doing the rounds around the small town with the squad car - with Sidney Glass of all people. He stared at them blankly, while Mary Margaret edged around him confused and Teddy ran off, kicking his shoes off and leaving them on the stairs - while his parents were too busy to scold him - as he raced up to the bedroom to play with his cars.

"Hey." Emma said, a little too brightly with a clearly false smile on her face as she looked up at her husband. Neal forced his own onto his face as he handed their daughter over to Emma, who hugged her tightly to her chest as if she was a safety blanket. "We're just doing some work. I think we may have found something on Regina." Neal stiffened and he paused as he began to walk towards the kitchen; Mary Margaret noticed and her eyes widened.

"Hey, Teddy. Why don't we play a game?" she called up the stairs, hurridly running up them to keep away from the fallout.

"You're going up against Regina?" Neal questioned when she was gone. Emma stared defiantly back at him while Sidney looked between them, feeling completely lost and wished that he'd been able to follow Mary Margaret's example, and had an excuse to leave the room.

"Yes, _I_ am." Emma shot back.

Neal nodded, clenching his teeth so hard that his jaw was beginning to ache. "Good to know." He spoke through them, forcing his expression to stay pleasant but he knew that he wasn't fooling anyone. He wasn't happy about this, and Emma knew it, more importantly she didn't even care. For years, they had considered what the other one would think or feel before they did something; looked like that, along with many other aspects of their relationship, was being abandoned now.

"You're not my keeper."

"No, I'm your husband." Neal shot back, and Emma scoffed.

"Not my jailer."

"Funny, that's how the last six years have felt for me." Neal snapped, before he could stop himself. Emma glared at him, her grip on Clara tightening as the toddler began shifting in her arms uncomfortably. Clara was too young to fully understand what was happening between her parents, but she wasn't stupid. Neal prided himself in having quite intelligent children; Clara was no exception, and just because she didn't understand the situation didn't mean that she didn't sense that something was wrong in the first place.

"I'm not asking for your permission."

"As your husband, I don't expect you to." Neal smirked. "But, as your boss, you need to. Or did you forget that part?"

"Wait." Sidney said slowly, looking between them incredulously. "You two aren't working together on this?" Emma hissed; was it really that impossible that she and Neal weren't working together on something?! They weren't joint at the hip, for God's sake!

"No." Emma and Neal snapped, making Sidney flinch and look away awkwardly.

"I have no interest in being a part of this." Neal told him, a lot more calmly, never taking his eyes off Emma. "If you want to make a fool out of yourself, be my guest. I have more important things to think about. Clara said her first word, by the way, in case your weren't too busy. But I guess when _you_ miss things, it's okay. You do what you like, you always do anyway." Ignoring the hurt and regret in his wife's eyes, he took Clara from her - surprised that Emma let him - and walked out of the apartment, knowing that if he stayed any longer he wouldn't be able to control his temper and would lash out more than he already had. Emma let him go.

...

"And just what are you and the disgraced ex-reporter accusing me of?" Regina asked, impassively as Sidney and Emma stood before her, both fully determined and confident, while Sidney still looked sheepish in the presence on the woman he would've done anything for. Emma hoped that he held his nerve. Regina looked at them challengingly.

"Fifty thousdand dollars was transfered out of a city account, by you, Madam Mayor." Emma said calmly, meeting her gaze unflinchingly while Sidney chose to stare above her head, never once meeting her gaze. The Mayor smirked, looking unconcerned by this piece of information but Emma was sure that she saw the other woman srifften slightly.

"Well," she said, leaning back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest as she relaxed into her seat, "as Mayor, I'm involved in many transactions. Check the public records if you have questions."

"You see, that's funny, because the records from three weeks ago are missing." Emma shot back, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to have any idea what happened to them?"

Regina thought for a moment before she answered. "Well, if they're missing, I probably checked them out - as my job often requires me to do. And, if they were checked out three weeks ago, well, that means they burned. In a fire. In a fire, if I recalls, got your husband elected, Deputy. Speaking of which, where is your husband."

Emma's unflinching expression faltered for a moment, and she glared at the smug woman sitting before her. Neal had made it very clear that he wasn't getting involved; he wasn't going to help Emma expose Regina for what she truly is, he wasn't going to help their son, and despite all of the horrible things he said to her the other night, that hurt more than anything else in the world. And the worst part of it was, their son's adopted mother obviously knew that something wasn't right between them, and she was clearly loving every minute of it. For the first time since arriving in Storybrooke, the Cassidy's weren't united. They were broken, and didn't look to be in any hope of repair. They were less of a threat to Regina Mills, especially when it came to Henry, and she was prepared to walk over Emma if it meant getting what she wanted. Emma wasn't scared of Regina, but she was feeling far from confident than she had been when she walked into the office. Taking a deep breath, she made her decision; she was going to do everything within her power, no matter how un-ethical, to expose Regina for what she really was. She would be a match for Regina on her own, she didn't need Neal to do this. Emma leaned forwards, placing her hands on the desk in front of her, her fingers trailing beneath the desk as she stared intently into Regina's dark eyes.

"Okay. There's nothing for us to do. Let's go." She said after a moment, making Sidney look at her in surprise, shocked by her change in attitude. He had never expected miracles, but he had certainly not expected her to give up so easily and willingly.

"Emma." He began to protest, looking at her pleadingly. His gaze finally met Regina's, his eyes filled with panic, while Regina just studied Emma impassively.

"She's right." Emma told him as she walked towards the exit of the Mayor's office. "We have no prove, so there's no point." She felt the Mayor's intense stare on her back as she left, but she refused to turn back around. She felt oddly smug about her new plan; this was going to work, she told herself. She _was_ going to expose the Mayor, without Neal's help.

"That was your plan?" Sidney asked, incredulously, as they walked out of the town hall. "I thought you were going to do something."

"I did. I planted a bug." Emma smirked, to the shocked, but now thoroughly impressed, editor. "You win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes."

...

Emma hesitated as she walked into Mary Margaret's spare room, a room which - while cramped - had become one of her favourite places in the world. When she had first accepted Mary Margaret's offer, she hadn't thought much of it; after all, there was the four of them sleeping in that one small room, which had been the size of her bathroom back in Boston. She had thought that they would last a single night before giving up to try and find a different plan. Surprisingly, they had adjusted to the small living space very easily. In fact, Emma had thought that they were growing closer. She had come to walk into the room as if it had always been hers. Now, on the other hand, she wasn't sure she wanted to go in there, if simply for the fact that she knew Neal - who was sitting on the bed, their children asleep next to him - was fully aware that she had arrived home, and had yet to look up from his laptop which he was typing furiously on.

He had stormed out of the apartment because of his anger and had ended up going over to the pile of rubble which had been his family's safe haven. Despite the fact that there was nothing there anymore - atleast, nothing worth visiting - he had felt strangely safe there. He had only stayed there with Clara for a short while but it had been enough, and he had calmed down to the point where he felt extremely guilty for what he said to Emma. When he had gotten back to the apartment, however, she and Sidney weren't there and now, he couldn't bring himself to look at her, feeling too ashamed.

"Hey," she muttered, after a short moment of standing by the door awkwardly.

Neal barely glanced up at her. "Hey." He grunted. Emma sighed as she walked further into the room.

"Look," she began, as Neal typed away. Emma suppressed her curiousity at what he was doing, although she hadn't seen him that focused on anything in a while. She wondered whether he was working on his law assignments, or if he was looking up solicitors ready for their divorce... "I know we're not in the best of places right now - "

"Understatement."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "Have you forgotten who's in the room?" she hissed, looking pointedly down at the sleeping children. Neal's typing paused, and he muttered a 'sorry' before he carried on. Emma cleared her throat and tried again. "I know we're not in the best of places right now, but I need your help."

"I told you, I'm not helping you go up against Regina."

"Your dad is involved."

Finally, Neal's eyes met Emma's as his head snapped up at those words. "What?" he questioned sharply, cringing when Teddy moved slightly at his father's tone. Carefully, so as not to disturb them even further, Neal crept out of the bed - the screen of his laptop flashed in her direction and Emma's heart dropped when she saw what he was googling. Child custody laws. "What do you mean my dad is involved?" he asked, once he and Emma were both out of the room.

Emma swallowed down her fears; there was no way Neal was considering taking away her children when he left her. He wouldn't do that, she told herself, he knew what it was like growing up without a mother and he wouldn't put Teddy and Clara through that. Just as she wouldn't take them away from him, despite the posibility of the end of their marriage. "Regina's brought some land from him." She told him, trying to keep her voice steady, preventing it from betraying how she really felt. She wanted to plead with him, to _beg_ him to let them sort it all out. She didn't want to drag their children through a custody battle, especially not against a person who - she was too stubborn to admit - she still loved.

Neal sighed. "That doesn't mean he's involved in what she's planning."

"So you admit that she _is_ planning something. Please," She added when Neal looked ready to give up on her and go back to their room, "help me. Stay."

...

"What are we doing here?" Sidney asked, as they pulled upto the Town Hall. Neal didn't know what Emma's plan was either, but had learnt to just go with it rather than asking questions - questions slowed things down a lot.

"We know she brought land from Gold - we don't know why. I'm willing to bet it's for personal reasons, but we have to know for sure. We need documents that officially link her to that land."

"So, we're breaking into her office." Neal sighed heavily. He was rather reluctant, but it wasn't every day that his wife pleaded with him, especially when she was still mad at him. He wasn't going to look into those green, hopeful eyes and tell her no, even if he was just as mad as she was. He didn't trust Sidney, and he didn't want to get involved in anything Regina may or may not be doing. He wanted to focus on his kids, and save whatever was left of his marriage.

Sidney looked between them, alarmed. "It's locked." He stuttered. "And she's got a state of the art security system and alarm."

Emma sighed, disappointed in his reaction. "If we don't show this town who Regina really is, who will?" she asked. Sidney thought for a moment before he nodded.

"Do you think you can crack her code?"

"Absolutely." Neal replied, picking up a rock and throwing it through the front door, reaching his hand in and unlocking the door from the inside. Emma smirked back, satisfied, as they walked inside, Sidney hesitated, staring at them nervously.

"Neal! Emma!"

"You're forgetting who the alarm system alerts." Neal pointed out to the man. "The police. So, we just have until Regina recieves news that the alarm has gone off."

"Two minutes for her to get a call from the alarm company, one minute to get her coat and kets, and three minutes to drive here." Emma listed off. "We've got maybe six minutes."

Neal nodded. "Let's try and get this done and sorted by five."

...

"Blueprints, bank statements..." Sidney reeled off as the three of them looked through the papers that they had taken from Regina's office. The break-in had been a success, and they had managed to convince Regina - when she had turned up, as expected - that they were completely innocent.

"What is she building out there?" Emma asked incredulously, eyeing a particularly excentric design. "A mansion?"

"Wouldn't surprise me with Regina." Neal said dryly, shaking his head at the design. He recognised it as something similar to the drawings in Henry's book of the Evil Queen's castle back in the Enchanted Forest.

"Well, whatever it is, it doesn't matter, because these escrow statements have her name all over it." Sidney said gleefully. "You were right - personal use. She's done. We got her." He looked over at them when they didn't say anything in reply, and frowned when he saw their expressions. Neal had made it clear from the start, even when he had turned up with Emma at the town hall, that he didn't want to be a part of this, but Emma had been a different story. Now, however, she was looking doubtful. "What's wrong? Didn't you hear me?"

"We're not deaf." Neal snapped, earning himself a glare from his wife. Neal sighed. "Sorry."

"We stooped to her level." Emma cringed. "That's exactly what I promised Henry I wouldn't do."

"You didn't really have much else of a choice." Neal told her. "The chances of you finding anything legit was slim to none." Regina was too clever, she covered her tracks - the fact that they were able to find this much didn't sit right with Neal.

"Emma, we've got her!"

Emma shook her head in denial. "It's fruits of the poisonous tree - illegally obtained evidence. It's get thrown out in court in a heartbeat."

"No, we don't need her to go to jail." Sidney shook his head.

"Then what is the point in this?" Neal asked, unsure of what Sidney actually wanted at the end of all of this. Regina had aparently humiliated him and fired him from a job he loved, and yet he wasn't overly concerned with her being punished, only with others seeing her for what she truly was. Yes, this will show the residents of Storybrooke who Regina truly was - not the Evil Queen, not yet anyway - but the most it would cost her is her job. Would that truly be enough for Sidney, with how much he seemed to hate her? Would he actually be satisfied with that small piece of justice?

"What you both wished for; get everyone to see who she is. What she did to Henry, she does to everyone. She destroys what people love." Sidney hesitated for a moment before pulling out a shoe box. "Let me show you something." He said, before placing the box of photographs in front of the couple. Neal looked through them numbly, while Emma looked on in horror as they flicked through photos of themselves and Henry, along with Teddy and Clara. There had been many occasions when Neal was playing with the kids, or simply sitting with the rest of his family, and had had the feeling that he was being watched - it didn't look like he was being as paranoid as he had thought at the time. "She made me follow you. She made me tell her everything. She knew about your secret place weeks ago. She just waited to destroy it until it would hurt you and Henry the most. It's all my fault. If you don't do this, I have to."

Neal was all for Sidney going up against Regina on his own - they were only a few photos and he was hardly surprised that she knew about the castle - but one look at Emma's face told him that that wasn't going to happen. Emma was walking into this blindly, and he was following after her like an idiot, but there was no way he would be able to convince her otherwise. They may be reaching the end, but she was still his wife and he still loved her as he had done when they had first met. He wasn't going to abandon her now.

"Okay." Emma decided, and Neal reluctantly nodded in agreement.

...

"This session of the Storybrooke city council will come to order." Regina said, in a rather dull voice as the meeting began. "We will begin by reading the minutes from our last meeting."

"Uh, excuse me, um, Madam Mayor." Sidney stuttered nervously, as he stood up and all eyes turned to him. "I have something I'd like to bring to the council's attention."

Regina rolled her eyes. "This is not an open forum, Sidney. And no one on this council's interested in hearing the boozy complaints of a disgraced report. No, sit down." She ordered firmly.

Sidney looked ready to crack so Neal and Emma jumped up at that moment, the binder of Regina's stolen files in Neal's hands. "He's not the only one who has something to say." Emma declared loudly as they walked to the aisle. Regina slammed her pen down on the table, a little more forceful than necessary, as she glared at them hatefully.

"You two will sit down immediately, or so help me - "

"You'll what, Madam Mayor?" Neal challenged. "What is it you intend to do to us? In my hand," he told the rest of the council, who were watching curiously, probably more interested than they would've been for whatever Regina had to say. "I am holding documents proving that this woman, your mayor, stole funds from the city to build herself a lavish home in the woods."

Whispers broke out throughout the room and Neal turned his attention back to the Mayor, who's expression had gone strangely blank but with a dangerous glint in her eyes. Neal paused, his reaccuring back feeling had returned. This was wrong; his feeling that he and Emma were walking into a trap was stronger than ever. He glared at Sidney, his heart sinking when he saw the triumphant glint in his eye... as he looked at Emma, not Regina. This was a set up, and he couldn't stop it, because when he didn't continue, Emma took over, still speaking to the council.

"And this disgraced reporter; you want to know why he was really fired? Because he stood upto her, because he questioned her. We all know what happens to people who question the Mayor." She turned to the Mayor, who met her eyes calmly. "You claim that you act in the best interest of all of us, but that isn't the truth, is it? The truth is, you are a thug that doesn't care about anyone, or anything, but yourself." Including Henry, Emma left unsaid. "That is who you really are, and it's time for the people of Storybrooke to know that."

Silence fell throughout the room as all eyes turned to Regina. After a moment, the woman cleared her throat. "You are right. I am building a house." She admitted, to the shock of the council. Emma almost smiled at that, until she continued. "A playhouse." She stood up, and pulled up an image of a playground on the screen behind her. "The accusations are true - I did take city funds. I wanted to build a playground so my son, Henry, and all the children of Storybrooke, could have a special place to play. Safely. As for the sketch in your hands, Sheriff, it was inspired by a drawing I found in one of my son's books. So, there you have it. You have exposed me for who I really am. I hope you're satisfied." And, with that, she sat back down and continued as if nothing had happened, leaving Emma, Neal and Sidney standing in the middle of the room, dumbfounded.

Neal glanced around the room; most of the residents of Storybrooke were awkwardly avoiding his gaze but his eyes met that of Mr Gold's. His father was observing him curiously, but with a hint of disappointed which made Neal's - no matter the fact that he had grown up, and his father had no right to make him feel that way - heart plummet even further than it already had.

...

Regina was radiating with smugness, and Neal was fuming. Sidney, not to Neal's surprise, was hardly disappointed with the outcome of their confrontation; in fact, he was staring at Regina as if satisfied that they had been humiliated in front of the entire council. Neal glared at the back of the man's head, knowing that he and Emma had been double crossed but having no way of proving it, especially to his wife. Emma, especially in the state of their marriage, would never listen to reason when it came to his opinion - and he doubted he would live long enough to attempt to point out that perhaps she had made the wrong choice by listening to Sidney.

"Look at her." Gold said, appearing at his side. Neal's head snapped in the man's direction before he looked away quickly when Gold continued to observe Regina. "Queen of the castle. You know, what you did in there was commendable, Mr Cassidy. But if you really want to bring her down, you're going to need a strong ally."

"Like you?" Neal questioned, already knowing the answer.

"Thanks, but we're not interested." Emma answered for him. Neal hesitated, wondering if they were desperate enough to ask for his father's help, but didn't say anything to contradict her. They were a team in this, he wasn't going to question her - especially in front of Mr Gold and Sidney, who would undoubtably reveal it back to Regina. If there was one thing that this whole situation had told Neal, it was that he and Emma needed to work together on this, not alone. They worked between as a team, they (more often than not) managed to accomplish more than humiliating themselves while they were a team, and the only way they were going to help Henry is if they worked together.

Mr Gold chuckled. "Oh, one can wish." He said before leaving, his presence quickly being replaced by Regina, who smirked at them happily. Emma wanted desperately to wipe that smirk off the woman's face.

"Mrs Cassidy, Mr Cassidy." She greeted. "A word? Alone." She gave Sidney a pointed glare and the man ran off almost instantly. "I don't know what you were hoping to accomplish in there, but now, I hope you'll go back to your job. Which is upholding the law - not breaking it. You don't think I know you two broke into my office?"

"Don't pretend like you're so innocent." Emma snapped. "I know you messed with the brakes on my car."

Regina's eyebrow raised. "Your brakes? Are you delusional? Why would I kill you when you jusy say I had nothing to hide?"

"Nothing we can prove." Neal corrected. Regina shrugged.

"Well, until you have something more substantial than disdain to throw my way, you're going to stay away from me. And, more importantly, from Henry."

Neal stiffened. "That not - "

"Open for discussion." Regina cut him off. "You've lost the high ground, Sheriff. If I wanted to, there's not a judge in the world that would deny me a restraining order after what you've both done. You don't get to see my son unless I say so. And right now? I don't say so." And, with that, she walked away; leaving the couple in silence.

...

Neal waited until Emma left to go to the bathroom before he approached Sidney, his fists clenched together tightly.

"Ah, Mr Cassidy. Come for a drink to drown our sorrows?" Sidney asked when he saw him, before looking startled when Neal leaned in and glared hatefully at him, looking like he would happily break his nose if they weren't in a crowded dinner.

"If you _ever_ set me and Emma up like that again, I'll make you regret it."

Sidney stared at him, wide eyed. "I - I dont - " He stuttered.

"Shut up. I don't care what you do to me, I _do_ care about what you do to my wife, and if you stab her in the back like you did this afternoon, not even Regina will be able to save you. Do you understand?"

"I don't - "

" _Do you understand_!" Neal hissed. Sidney nodded furiously. "Good." Still feeling tense, Neal walked out of the dinner before Emma could come back, walking down the street hurridly.

...

It had been a few weeks since they had managed to see Henry, neither one of them able to admit that they screwed up. For once, they weren't in any hurry to play the blame game. In fact, they were more content to live together as if the entire thing had never happened, the missing piece of their family cutting at them more than they would ever show when they were out in public, though Neal had had to comfort his wife many nights as she cried because of how much she missed their son.

Henry, looking happier than ever at his mother's new playhouse, waved at them enthusiastically when they pulled upto the newly built playground and they waved back, but Emma reluctantly forced herself to stay in the bug when Neal got out to help Teddy and Clara. "You got her?" he asked Teddy, who was holding Clara, knowing that Henry would take over once they reached him. Teddy nodded, proud that his dad had given him such an important task. "Okay, go on." He nudged him in Henry's direction before getting back in the car.

"Why are you so far far away?" Henry asked them through the walkie talkies, when Teddy and Clara reached him. "Come out here!"

"Sorry, kid. We can't today." Emma sighed.

"You're undercover, aren't you? For Operation Cobra?"

"No, Henry." Neal replied. "You're mom, she doesn't want us seeing each other for a while."

Henry frowned. "You don't have to listen to her." He said, and Neal cringed.

"Actually, this time we do. We got mad at your mom because of everything that's happened and she's used it against us. We need to spend a little time apart for a while."

"I don't want to be apart."

"Neither do we, mate."

"But, right now, we have to." Emma told him. "Don't worry - we'll find a way back in. And hey, if it's still out there, we will find your book."

"Good luck. It's probably gone, and it's never coming back." And, with that, Henry turned off his walkie talkie and picked Clara out of Teddy's arms easily, leading his siblings over to the playhouse while Neal and Emma watched their kids play from a safe distance, wishing more than anything that they were able to be there with them.

Neal sighed, staring at them mournfully. "Mamma."

"What?"

"Clara's first word, it was Mamma."

Emma smiled sadly. She had been dreaming of the day that one of her children's first words would be Mamma; Neal had gotten Teddy to say Daddy, and she had been expecting Clara to go down the same route. After all, she had always been bad cop; the one who took the fun away and put down the rules, while Neal was the good cop who was always there for a laugh. She loved that about him, and hated that about him.

Neal looked at her. "We need to stick together, Emma. We can't be falling apart, especially when we're up against Regina."

"I know." Emma sighed, avoiding his gaze as she too watched their children, as Henry began to push Clara on the swings. "I'm sorry, about the things that I said."

"Me too."

"That still doesn't give you the excuse - "

"I'm sorry I missed Clara's birthday, there is _no_ excuse for that." Neal said, looking at his wife pleadingly. "I will regret this for the rest of my life, and I will try for the rest of her birthday's to make it upto her. But I don't want to lose you."

Emma rolled her eyes. "You won't lose me. You're stuck with me." She said, with her first genuine smile. Neal laughed.

Neal hesitated for a moment before he told her, "I booked us an appointment with Archie. We need it." He added, when Emma opened her mouth to protest. "We're both too angry to work this out by ourselves. It isn't a crime to ask for help sometimes."

Emma still didn't look happy, and she nodded rather reluctantly as they went back to watching their children in silence.

...

"Have a seat, Sidney." Regina said pleasantly. The man nodded silently, taking a seat on the sofa in her office. Regina, still smiling kindly, sat next to him and reached for one of her blood red apples. "Well?"

Sidney didn't speak, instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a tape recorder. He pushed the button and his own voice echoed through the room, "You've got yourself an ally." His voice said. "We won't get fooled again." Emma's joined.

Regina's smile turned into a sly smirk. "She brought it."

"All of it. Neal is suspicious, though." He warned her, but she shrugged carelessly.

"He's a deadbeat idiot. He'll be convinced sooner or later. Masterful job, Sidney. Top to bottom." She said, handing him the apple. "And cutting the brakes on their car? Inspired."

Sidney smiled. "I'm glad you approve."

"Now, she trusts you, and he'll be not far behind. Now, we can have some fun."

"Everything they do, everywhere they go - you'll know about it." He promised her, blushing when she placed her hand on his leg.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Sidney."

...

AN - Sorry, what do you guys think? Too much tension? Well, on the bright side, this is the start to them working things out and, hopefully, becoming stronger than they had been before. Their sessions with Archie are something I'm looking forward to writing; more reveals into the missing ten years ;) Let me know your thoughts...

 **Reviews...**

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Sorry that it was so sad :( but I can promise you that August won't be getting away with everything he's done so far... ;)

 **crazyhpcfan -** That's a relief :D I wasn't sure whether it would seem realistic enough for them to have an argument that big when, in the last chapter, they seemed 'okay'; I'd hoped that I'd managed to convey enough of the tension between them leading up to the argument as possible, even from the first chapter. And, yeah, I think we can see from this chapter that the two of them need to work together in order to stand against Regina.

 **FictionLover12 -** I've never really liked August, and I think I've made myself hate him even more by writing him like this. I know that I'm making him more of an unpleasant character, more than he is in the actual show, but I just thought that his past actions where never really confronted when they should've been - after all, Emma spent all of that time blaming Neal, when it was August that convinced him to leave her in the first place. I think half of that anger and resentment was misplaced and it's just made me more annoyed :/ interesting theory, you'll have to wait and see to find out though ;) I promise you that they will sort things out; that's what most of the second half of series one and the first half of series two is going to be about, sorting through their problems and becoming stronger. I have to admit, CaptainSwan are starting to grow on me (I know, I'm a traitor) but I don't like what it's doing to Emma, I think we've lost the Emma that we've known and loved from the first three series' now that she's with Killian - which is one of the things that I liked about Swanfire, she stayed true to herself and didn't change (except when her heart was broken when Neal left her, and we can't really blame her for that). I know my writing isn't perfect - unfortunately - but, most of the time, I'm too excited to get the 'finished' chapters out to you lot that I don't look through them properly and they come out a bit rushed. Eventually, when I'm further ahead with this story, I'll go back and make small edits so that it flows better and has less flaws (I never think that my work can be flawless). I don't think the show is at the same standard as it was at the beginning and my personal view on that is that the show's writers and producers are trying to make the show 'bigger and better' by making series arcs - back in series one, when it was a series of smaller stories building up to the climax at the end of the series, it was better because it didn't seem to drag. I've noticed that with 3B, 4A, and 4B (I think 5A is the only one which has managed to keep me hooked) that they seem to cover material which they could've done in a few episodes and moved on... Oh well, I haven't completely gone off the show - which is lucky, or this story would be a hell-of-a-lot shorter, but I'm glad that I'm able to keep you interested in reading fics about the show :)

 **Many Voices In My Head -** I'm glad you thought so; I think it was more my self doubt that made me need to write an explanation for the chapter due to my friend's dislike in the decision to include it. I just really felt that it was needed, like I needed to show their struggle before I could give them their 'happily ever after' but also make things a little bit flawed, as they would be in real life. After all, there is no way Emma was going to fully forgive Neal for abandoning her after a half-explanation on his father, and there was no way Neal was going to forgive Emma for giving Henry up and never telling him about it for the ten years before Henry had found them. I think that is one of the main things I like about my version of Swanfire, is that even though they have their own issues, they're still aware that they are stronger as a team and feel comfortable working that way; something we will see in the following chapters :) Neal is eventually going to grow in confidence when it comes to Rumple, but it will take a while - he's still on edge when it comes to his father and what happened with the whole Sheriff thing, along with his fears over his father finding out on his own, and it is going to set him back a bit. But that is also something I'm looking forward to exploring in later chapters ;) Rumple will still have a favor to ask, it just not help him when it comes to gaining Neal's forgiveness if he uses it in the way I'm considering having him use it...

 **Onceuponlover -** I've noticed that, nothing ever seems to be resolved with the couples and everything seems perfect. I know that it's supposed to be idealised versions because of the fairy tale aspect but there is so many way you can do that before it becomes unrealistic. I'm trying to make Neal and Emma into a real life couple that has been thrown into a strange world when they arrived in Storybrooke; a couple who actually work on their relationship and deal with their issues rather than acting like they never happened.

 **-** Your welcome :D thank you for your review, it always lifts my heart when I see them.


	12. Chapter 12

AN - Bit of a filler chapter between Fruits from the Poisoned Tree and Skin Deep; just an update to see how the Cassidy's are getting along and a view on the first couple's therapy session with Archie. Also, I have an AN at the bottom which I would like you all to read - it is a bit long, sorry about that, but I don't want any of you to miss out on the opportunity while I'm offering ;) Hope you enjoy this, let me know what you think x

...

"So," Archie began, looking between the two of them curiously. "Where would you like to start?"

The two of them sat in silence, neither one of them making eye contact with the other. It was strange that after twelve years of knowing each other, having three children, and being married for seven years, how easily it felt to be sitting next to a stranger. They were sitting next to each other on the sofa but there was a gap big enough for Archie to sit between them rather than opposite. They had been speaking more since that afternoon in the bug watching their children play in the newly built children's park, and were getting along quite well compared to the last week or so. They had improved from how they had been treating each other since Clara's birthday, but gone were the days where Emma jumped into Neal's arms simply because he was there. As were the days were Neal grabbed his wife by the waste and pulled her in for a kiss. Along with the days where they would snuggle up on the sofa and watch old movies with a take-out, as many other couples did. Everything that had made them who they were as a couple had been long gone, even before their argument on Clara's birthday. Their marriage had all but died before either of them had even noticed it. Both of them hoped that the sessions with Archie would help, but neither of them felt confident or comfortable enough to open up. So, they sat silently, waiting for the other to start.

Archie nodded after a moment. "Okay, why don't one of you start by explaining why we're here?" he suggested. Again, they stayed silent. "Neal. You called, why are we here today?"

Neal hesitated, glancing at Emma, who sat with a blank expression, before he answered. "Because we're... strugging, I guess."

"Okay, struggling in what way?"

"I would say that we're close enough to getting a divorce." From the corner of his eye, he saw Emma's head snap in his direction, but when he turned his head to look at her she turned away before he could meet her eye. When he turned back to Archie, he saw that the therapist looked stunned by the admission.

"Wow..." he breathed, a small frown on his face. "What caused this?"

"A mixture of things." Emma insisted before Neal could.

"Like what?" Neither one of them could say; they wouldn't know where to begin. Neal watched Archie, wondering how he could not be uncomfortable with the tension in this room, but guessed that he was used to it. "What would you say is the biggest problem in your relationship?"

"How much we keep from each other." Emma admitted and Neal nodded in agreement, looking down so Archie and Emma wouldn't be able to see his guilt. He was still keeping something from his wife, something that not even these sessions would be able to get out of him. He knew that these sessions could help, in the short term. And then the curse would be broken and Emma would know that he had lied to her for most of their life together, and no amount of talking to a Doctor, who had gotten his PHD from a curse, would be able to fix them. They would be as broken as the curse. "We've been keeping things in for most of our relationship and then we have a major row, like a couple of weeks ago, and everything comes spilling out."

"But nothing ever gets resolved." Neal added.

"Well, why don't each of you start with something that the other has kept from you and we'll start from there. Neal, what is the biggest thing that Emma has kept from you?"

"Henry." Neal answered instantly. Emma let out a small noise as she folded her arms across her chest and crossed her legs, looking off to the side with her lips pursed. Neal cringed, knowing that the civilness between them may now be on the edge. Emma regretted keeping Henry from him, that much was clear, but she also hated the fact that Neal couldn't let it go. Where Henry was concerned, she wanted to focus on the now. Neal couldn't let go of all of the years that he missed, and the missing moments he still had now because Henry wasn't with them. It was a constant thought for him.

Archie nodded. "Okay, and Emma?"

"His father is Mr Gold." She blurted out, making Archie and Neal look at her in surprise.

Archie turned his shocked eyes back to Neal. "Erm... I never knew that."

"Neither does he." Emma said brightly, making Neal's heart clench at how easily - almost gleefully - she was spouting out his secrets.

"I must assure you," Archie said, obviously seeing Neal's expression, "that everything that is said in this room, will stay in this room."

Emma looked at Neal and sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "Sorry." She muttered, but Neal shrugged, giving her an easy smile.

"It's okay. Just wait until I tell him about Majorca and the monkey." He joked, making Emma snort with laughter before she caught herself.

They fell back into a silence that was no longer tense, and Archie looked between them, a slight smile on his face as he leaned forward, more comfortable now. "The two of you have agreed on weekly sessions, is that correct?" he asked, and both of them nodded. "Good, because what I want to do is work on the main issues both of you have first and then work our way to the smaller ones. It may take time. That, along with some techniques which will help you stop arguing, I believe will help."

...

"What do you mean my son isn't here?" Neal demanded, his voice echoing down the empty hall. The timid day care assistant, who couldn't be more than twenty, cringed.

The past month had been rather tense for the Cassidy family, the absence on Henry making things barely bearable, but somehow they managed. Nothing was perfect in their life anymore, as it had seemed to be before they had arrived in Storybrooke or for the few short weeks after they had first arrived into the cursed town and were first getting to know Henry. Now that Henry existed in their lives, they couldn't imagine their family without him and it only made it harder when they spent time together, as a 'family' and he wasn't there. It didn't feel like they were whole. They had been sneaking around for the past month, and though Henry had snuck out in the early hours of the morning on Christmas day to open presents with the Cassidy's when he had to leave only a few short hours later so that he could get home before Regina woke up, the family's mood had gone down hill. Clara wouln't stop crying, Teddy was sulking refusing to even try on his new Iron Man costume, both Neal and Emma felt helpless and lost, and Henry's pile of presents - Neal and Emma always seemed to overcompensate when buying presents for their children, trying to give them to childhood that they never had, and always brought too much - was left in the corner of Mary Margaret's sitting room, where they've stayed ever since. Even without Henry in their lives, both Neal and Emma felt like they were walking on egg shells for the best part of the beginning of the month, and were only starting to feel comfortable around each other; the sessions with Archie, while slow, were working wonders, forcing Neal and Emma to confront things they had brushed aside before. Things for Neal and Emma were getting better - they still had the hope that Regina would give them the opportunity to see Henry once in a while, which she did, for half an hour at a time and has only done twice since their failed exposation during the council meeting - for Teddy, who got to see Henry more than his parents but nowhere near as much he was used to - or wanted to - he was struggling with the new arrangement.

Which is why it was no surprise to Neal that he had been called to Teddy's nursery because he had been fighting. It _was_ a surprise, however, when he arrived at the nursery to find out that he wasn't there.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr Cassidy." The young girl stuttered nervously, fidgeting under Neal's glare. "The Mayor told us you knew."

Neal's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did the Mayor tell you that we knew?"

...

"Mr Cassidy." Regina smiled pleasantly, a triumphant glint in her eyes when he stormed into her office, the door banging against the wall with a loud thud that made Teddy jump, his jaw clenching when he saw his son sitting on one of Regina's perfect sofa's, looking like a bird which had been caught by a cat. Teddy had always been nervous around Regina, being aware of who she really was and what she was capable of. "How lovely of you to join us."

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Neal snapped, his face softening when Teddy raced over to him, throwing his arms around his legs. Neal, instinctively, bent down to pick him up, holding him close to his chest as if that alone could protect the five year old from Regina.

Regina looked at him, confused. "I was merely trying to help. After all, because of Henry, we are practically family." Neal scoffed, wondering what she was trying to pull this time. She barely acknowledged Neal and Emma's connection to Henry, let alone mention the word 'family'. With Teddy and Clara she was distant, but wasn't overly offended when she saw Henry with them. In fact, Neal would say she watched them fondly, as if the sight of Henry with his siblings warmed her heart - if she had one, of course. Regina gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. "I had overheard that Teddy had gotten himself into a little bit of trouble at Day Care and I wanted to save you and your wife the bother of having to pick him up. I know how busy the two of you are, and neither I nor Teddy wanted to be a burden."

"I'm sorry, Daddy." Teddy mumbled, avoiding Neal's eyes. Neal's throat clenched painfully at the shame and sadness in his son's voice.

"You don't need to worry about scolding him." Regina continued, folding her hands together. "We've had a chat and Teddy knows it was wrong to hit that other boy. And he promises not to do it again, don't you Teddy." She said a little louder and with a voice that was more commonly used when speaking to a baby, one which made both Teddy and Neal cringe.

"You had no right." Neal snapped, glaring at her.

Regina raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry. I thought we were co-parenting now. You and your wife don't seem to have any problem parenting _my_ son. After all, you did give him a horse. Was that a punishment or a bribe? I wasn't exactly sure on how I should've taken that."

" _Our_ son."

" _Mine._ " Regina hissed, before regaining her composure. "I apoligize if you believe that I overstepped the mark. I'm sure that we now understand each other." The message - no matter what other's may say about his intelligence, the main one standing before him looking smug - was not lost on him, and he should hardly be surprised that she would pull a stunt like this.

Emma and Neal, no matter how much it pained them, had done what she had said and stayed away from Henry. They had only been able to watch him from afar as he played with Teddy, watching as Teddy fell over a scrapped his knee and Henry instantly rush to his little brother, helping him up and comforting him until the five year old jumped to his feet and ran off as if nothing had even happened. They had a pile of toys and books in their livingroom which were barely used and were left for them on display, a reminder of what was missing, what was _always_ missing. They had to watch as Henry began to become withdrawn and lonely, watching as he walked up the street on his own and not be able to walk him to the bus stop. As much as it hurt, they had been following Regina's rules - except for Christmas, but Emma was always in a good enough mood for Christmas that it wouldn't have surprised Neal if she had invited Regina herself for the day - and Regina had took it upon herself to try and re-affirm her authority. To prove that she had the advantage. It only made Neal hate her more, but he was glad that she had done this to him and not Emma.

Neal placed Teddy on his feet, holding onto his little hand rather than holding him on his hip, as he squared upto Regina. She stared back confidently, even as he leaned forward to speak lowly, so Teddy wasn't a part of the conversation. "You may think that you're really clever right now, but let me tell you, your petty little games come across as really pathetic. Here's the thing, Your Majesty." He mocked, noticing her smile become more forced at the title. "I've seen worse than you, and your threats are like child's play. In fact, depending on where you are, they're more childish than child's play. Here, you're only the Mayor, you don't have as much power as you think you do, and you certainly don't have enough to truly go up against me and Emma, but if you want a fight we will give you one. Be careful, Regina. If you ever go after my family again, I will make sure that you lose everything." And, with that, he turned his back on her and walked, with his son, towards the door of the office.

It was Regina's voice which made him stop again. "So, it's true then."

"What?" Neal challenged, as he turned back to her he noticed that she was looking even more smug than usual. Her dark lips smirked widely.

"You're from there."

There was a long pause before Neal realized what had just happened, what he had let slip. All of those months of being careful, of keeping who he was a secret and he had slipped up, and she had picked up on it. She had set this entire thing up, for him, and he had walked right into her trap. "Excuse me."

"You called me Your Majesty, and you implied that the curse was real."

"I'm guessing sarcasm is lost on you."

Regina tilted her head slightly, walking in confident strides to the middle of the room, her dark eyes never leaving his. "I'm not a fool. You and your wife look at much with distrust and hatred, but with you there is the slightest hint of fear. You know who I am, you know what I'm capable of, and the only way that you can do that is if you are from there. How did you escape the curse?"

Neal continued to try and play off looking innocent, trying to conceal his building panic. If Regina knew the truth, how long before she used it to her advantage? He could only imagine what she already in store for him. "I don't know what you're talking about." He said firmly, squeezing Teddy's hand slightly when the little boy opened his mouth.

Regina rolled her eyes. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You couldn't be more than a peasant. Even under the curse, you can clearly tell the nobles." Neal couldn't deny that; he had spotted a few of them during the last three months in town. She eyed him with distaste. "Are you from my kingdom or someone elses?" she questioned, curiously.

"You need help." Neal said in reply. "You send your son off to a shrink when I think it's more needed at home, don't you think?"

"Mr Cassidy," Regina frowned, never hesitating. "Are you claiming that my son _is_ in need of professional help. After all, he believes ever word of this."

Neal clenched his teeth. "That's not - "

"So, you are from that world then? It can either be one or the other, I'm sure Henry would love your input when I tell him over dinner. So, what should I tell him? That his father is from the world he believes in or that he believes that he is crazy."

"You're loving this." Neal snapped.

Regina chuckled. "All too much."

"We're done." Neal said, before storming out of the office, ignoring Regina's voice when she continued to try and ask him questions. Like a dog with a bone, now that Regina knew that Neal was from the Enchanted Forest, she wouldn't let him go. She would control and manipulate the situation until she got what she wanted. For the longest time, Neal's biggest fear was his father finding out he was from there - or, even worse, who he really was - and someone equally as bad now had a hold on him. Neal could only hope that Regina easily got bored.

...

Still reeling, Neal stormed down the mainstreet of Storybrooke, which was still highly decorated in Christmas decorations; Regina's words running through his head over and over again. Teddy, clearly understanding that his father was angry and mistaking that anger as directed as him, walking with him silently, holding onto Neal's hand tightly.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, after a long moment.

Neal looked down at him; he had completely forgot that Teddy had been sent home because he had got into a fight. He sighed, stopping suddenly and kneeling on the ground in front of Teddy so that he could look him in the eye. "I'm not angry because of you." He admitted. "I'm not happy that you got into a fight, though. Why did you? What happened?" he asked. Teddy sighed, his eyes falling to the ground.

"Matthew said that Henry isn't really my brother, because he doesn't live with us."

Neal's grip on Teddy's shoulders tightened momentarily before he loosened his grip. He sighed heavily. "You know that's not true. Henry is still your brother, even if he isn't living with us."

"Why can't he?" Teddy asked, peeking up at his father.

Neal hesitated, wondering what the best way of explaining it would be. "Because he lives with Regina, she's his mommy as well."

"But why?"

"Um... because me and mommy didn't think we could look after him when he was little, so we gave him to Regina to look after him instead."

"Do you think that you can now?"

"Well..."

"You already look after me and Clara, Henry's a big boy so he doesn't need looking after." Teddy continued, a slow smile appearing on his face. "He can share my room and we'll get to play Operation Cobra without the walkie talkies. We can have cin-min cocoa and stay up late and - "

"Teddy, Henry lives with his mom."

"But he should live with us. Can't you get him back?"

Neal paused. _Could_ he get him back? He didn't know much about adoption laws or birth parents rights; he had, after all, been studying criminology when he was at law school. He knew that he hadn't terminated any of his rights to Henry, because he hadn't even known that the boy had existed ten years ago; so, really, was the adoption even legal? He didn't know.

He needed to talk to someone who did.

...

Neal, once again, hesitated before walking into the pawn shop. He hated having to go to his father for help, but he was desperate.

"How can I help you, Mr Cassidy?" Gold asked, not looking up from the book he was making notes in.

"I need your help."

"Oh?"

"I want to try and get custody of Henry."

Gold paused, his hand hovering over the book, before he looked up blankly at Neal. Neal tried not to fidget, remembering that his father loved it when the person he was making deals with was nervous. He wanted his father's help, but he didn't want to other man to take advantage of his weaknesses. He had loved this man for a long time, even while resenting him for abandoning him when he was a child, but he didn't trust him. He knew that his father was his best chance when it came to going up against Regina, but he couldn't honestly say that he trusted him one hundred percent, especially with his family, however, he couldn't see what else he could do. He _needed_ to do this, he told himself, as he stared blankly at his father's cold, brown eyes.

"Well," Mr Gold said, placing his book down on the counter as he straightened to face Neal, "I can't say I'm surprised. Why do you think that I would be able to help you?"

"Because you're the only one who could go up against Regina and win." Neal retorted, hoping that his expression didn't show his lie. He really did need his father on his side, but he couldn't let on for the true reason. If his father ever knew the true reason, Neal knew that his life wouldn't be worth living.

Gold smirked. "I suppose that's true. Well, I'm sorry to say this, Mr Cassidy, but I'm afraid you don't have any rights to gain custody of Henry."

Neal frowned, feeling his heart sink to his stomache. "I - what?"

"I was the one who had obtained Henry for Mayor Mills and, as far as I am aware, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but you were not married to Mrs Cassidy when Henry was born, you hadn't previously adopted Henry before he was taken by social services, nor had your paternity been established. Now, according to Arizona law, you would have been notified that Emma was placing Henry up for adoption and would've been given thirty days to prove your paternity and gain custody of him before the adoption could take place, but you didn't."

"I never recieved that notice." Neal protested, but Gold just shrugged it off. To Neal's anger, the older man seemed to be quite gleeful at his dilema and then Neal remembered how many deals Rumplestiltskin had apparently made that had involved taking children away from their parents. Reading about that in Henry's book had left Neal disgusted; he couldn't understand how a man - if that is still what he could claim to be - could say that he regretted losing his beloved son and was fighting to get him back, when he so easily took innocent people's children away from them, and seemed to enjoy doing it. Neal couldn't understand how someone who has lost a child could tear a baby away from it's family. Neal pushed away his anger and forced himself not to glare at the man in front of him, when all he really wanted to do was lash out.

"Be that as it may, we cannot prove that. I'm afraid that the only way you could take Henry away from Regina is by proving that she is unfit to care for him and that you would be the better parent. And, even then, your wife would stand more of a chance if you were to divorce."

"We're not getting a divorce."

"My apologies. From what I heard, the two of you were having maritual issues." He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting. Neal clenched his fists together, remembering their fight session with Archie. Breathe in deeply, hold it for three seconds, and release.

He forced a smile, trying not to show his tension. "I didn't believe that you were one for rumors, Mr Gold."

Gold shrugged. "Either way, that is the sort of things that would come out in court, especially since Dr Hopper would more than likely be called to give a statement on who he believed was the better, and more stable, home for your son. I just want to prepare you for the trouble that he may, inadvertedly of course, cause for your case."

Neal considered this before he spoke again. "My wife and I are speaking to Archie, but only because we want to ensure that Henry has the most stable home if he was to be returned to us." He tried, relaxing when Gold gave him an impressed nod in return.

"And how does your wife feel about you going for custody without her?" he asked.

"Who says that I'm doing this without her?" Neal shot back. Gold looked around his shop pointedly. "We do have two other children, and I want both of them kept out of this." And away from you, he thought. "Besides, Emma will join us soon enough."

"When would that be, Mr Cassidy? Like I said, you would have a better chance if your wife files for custody with you."

"Within the year."

Gold's eyes narrowed. "A year? Why a year?" he asked, his voice dangerously calm. Because the curse would be broken then, because Emma would know the truth and would be just as eager to get Henry away from Regina as he was, and because no judge in this town would ever give custody to the Evil Queen, but would almost surely give custody to the Savior.

"A lot can change within a year."

Gold nodded, still looking at Neal suspiciously. "Indeed." He mumbled before blinking and the moment passed. "Well, then, Mr Cassidy, if you'd like to go through to the back, we can begin making a plan for your case."

Perhaps Neal was imagining it, but as he passed Gold he noticed the man stiffen. He also noticed that, throughout the entire meeting, his father was more guarded and seemed to be looking through Neal, rather than at him. Like he saw something he hadn't before. It made Neal nervous, and he began to wonder whether involving his father in this had been the best decision after all.

...

AN - Okay, so I know this chapter is the shortest one I have ever done for this story but it is only a filler chapter. I intend to do a filler chapter once or twice ever series (if I ever get that far) around about the middle of the series and possibly the end - like in series three, giving an update about what is happening for the Cassidy's in New York during the missing year. That is only an example, I'm not quite sure what I'm doing for series three, let alone where the Cassidy's will be by then.

These fillers will probably always be shorter than the other chapters and will take longer to update than others, this will be for two reasons; the first being the fact that it is completely from scratch, I have no transcript or structure to the filler chapter, and, although I always write ahead, these chapters I'm not writing until I catch up with them. I don't _need_ a transcript or a set structure to write but, the thing is, I'm a very picky writer. My completely original stuff I end up re-writing over and over because it needs to be exactly how I pictured it, something I can struggle with sometimes - I think I spend more time writing and re-writing the flashback scenes more than I do anything else. I re-wrote this chapter several times before deciding that it was how I liked it. The second reason the filler chapters will take longer to update is because I use the fillers as breaks to take a step back and look at my work, and my plan, to decide whether or not I'm going in the right direction. I have to admit that my plan for the end of series one and series two has adjusted slightly, and changed completely in certain areas. Including, how Rumple finds out that Neal is Bae - I had a plan and now I'm not sure...

There are a few ideas that I have that I'm still not sure about, and hope that all of you could help me. At the end of series one, I was going to have Neal find a way of bringing Charming's memories back in order to help him get Emma to break the curse; I wanted to do this to show some interaction between Charming and Neal, something I haven't really had the chance to do yet, but I'm not sure if I should still do this. Another is the beginning of series two, should Neal go with Emma or stay in Storybrooke? That can also be linked to another idea I have but I don't want to reveal that one... And, of course, there is the constant question of when Rumple finds out about Neal. I know this is as frustrating for you as it is for me, but I've never liked how they revealed who Neal was in the show and I want to do it justice for this story, I'm just not sure when in the story and how. I can reveal that I am doing the scene where August tried to trick Gold; I hated it, and I felt so sorry for Rumple, but I think it was needed. I don't want the relationship between Neal and Gold to be like 'Oh, I'm your son and everything is completely forgiven'. That doesn't sit right with me. I want there to be a struggle in order for everything to fully be resolved - like with the couples therapy between Neal and Emma. When we see them next chapter, they're going to be in a much better place, but there is still going to be some issues, everything is not going to be sunshine and daisies.

The one thing that I don't like doing is reading all of your reviews and suggestions, and ignoring them, and sticking to what I want to do. I do like taking them on board; I may not use all of them, but they can shape the way that I write.

 **Reviews...**

 **hateme101 -** Well, I can't say that I expected people to say that ;) glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you liked this one too.

 **crazyhpcfan -** Sorry, I just think that with this Neal and Emma are better together. I think, if I hadn't have introduced the tension between the two of them, she would've been less likely to have fallen for Regina's trick. But, because they aren't on speaking terms, they're broken and Emma alone isn't much of a match against Regina; and neither is Neal on his own. I think this Neal is more laid back against Regina because he knows that Emma is destined to break the curse - so as long as she doesn't do anything that can directly harm his family or others in Storybrooke, he is more than happy to let her get on with her dirty dealings because he knows that she is going to get what's coming to her in the end. Emma's obviously not as sure about their future and is more concerned about Henry, which is why she was so easily tricked in both this and in canon. Hope you enjoyed the therapy session with Archie; if there's anything you think should be addressed in future sessions, please let me know ;)

 **Reading Pixie -** Thank you, I'm glad you like it :D

 **FictionLover12 -** I agree; I can't say I hate August because I was actually kinda happy to see him when he returned in series four, but I just think that Neal got a lot of the blame for what happened to Emma and August got off free for all of the bad things he's done. Yes, I understand that he was only a child when he was given a responsibility that was too much for him when he and Emma first came to the world without magic but once he had grown up, he no longer had that excuse. He still left Emma and only made her life harder by getting rid of Neal and, unknowingly, Henry so that she became this hard warrior he thought could break the curse - and then he stole money that should've gone to Emma and packed up to Phuket. There are a lot of missed opportunities, many that I'm already enjoying writing and that I am looking forward to writing in the future. I absolutely loved series four, and I have to say that I've disliked Snow ever since the curse broke - it's strange, with some of the characters I prefer their cursed personas. E.g. I hate David Nolan but love Charming, but I hate Snow (flashbacks I actually like her, current I don't) and I love Mary Margaret... can't really win :/ Lol, I hate when writers badmouth Neal because they like CaptainSwan; in my opinion, I love them together but that's only because Neal's gone. If Neal was still alive, I'll be shipping them all the way because it feels more real than CaptainSwan, there's more emotion and chemistry.

 **-** Your welcome :) thanks for the review, they always make me smile.

 **Many Voices In My Head -** I cannot begin to tell you how much that means to me; I've read many stories that have spoken to me and have never dreamed that I would be able to have the same effect on my readers. The one thing that I think happened in the show is that the villains are always villains and the heroes can do no wrong, that they are whiter than white (which is why I hate characters like Glinder of the North or the Blue Fairie). I'm a full believer that even heroes should have light and dark shades to their character, that I don't think is fully looked into in the show. Neal, realistically, is a complex character; he's lived for three hundred years on Neverland, being hunted by Pan and the Lost Boys, everyone he has ever cared about has abandoned him - he should have plenty of dark shades that I want to look into. He is, after all, the son of the Dark One and I'm looking forward to having more scenes where you can see a hint (or a lot) of Neal's sinister side. I hope that I can get that far too ;) I have a general idea on how I'm going to handle it, but like I've said, it can quite easily change.

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thank you :D I'm glad you liked it and I hope that this one met your expectations. Let me know, I love hearing what you think.

 **Aaron Leach -** Thanks, I'm glad you thought so :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Skin Deep**

As Neal watched Moe French plead for his stock, he couldn't help but think of a time back when he was a child and the peasants in their village couldn't deliver on their deals with his father. The first person had been the Duke whose castle his father had nearly burnt to the ground when he had stolen the dagger; the Duke had barely lasted a day after that before his father had killed him. Moe had the same look of desperation in his eyes, his voice shaking as he pleaded while his father stood in front of him impassively, if not for the air of gloating and the slight smirk. Neal clenched his teeth as he watched. He had arrived at 'Game of Thorns' to collect some flowers for Emma; the two of them had been better together, the sessions with Archie making things easier for the two of them to talk, and they had begun to act more like they had before. They never really did anything for Valentine's Day - Emma had always had a cynical view on it - but Neal had always tried to get her something special. He loved treating her and, after everything they'd been through recently, thought that she especially needed it.

"Tomorrow's Valentines Day." The desperate man protested as Gold's bodyguard, who was double the size of Neal, walked past his boss and got into the drivers seat of the van. "It's the biggest day of... I've got a grand of roses in the back!" He stood in front of the van when his words were ignored, but the body guard just edged the van forwards regarless of the older man's presence, forcing Moe back. "Stop! You've got to let me sell them!"

"I'm going to leave you two to continue this conversation." Mr Gold said, his eyes meeting Neal's as he passed. Neal forced himself not to glare back, their current arrangement the first thing on his mind now that he looked at his father. Mr Gold, clearly thinking the same thing, smirked as he passed without being stopped by the Sheriff. Neal forced himself not to go after him; it would all be for the best in the end, he told himself, knowing that in any other situation he would've stopped his father and tried to do something. Anything, really. Neal sighed heavily, turning his attention back onto Moe, who was forced to dodge backwards to avoid the van as it drove off down the street, the back doors still open. He tried as hard as he could to ignore his father and Regina standing on the other side of the street, talking while he then tried to calm the angry florist down.

...

Emma had spent most of that morning angry at Neal. Usually the managed the childcare together; they would get the kids up in the morning, get them fed, Neal would take Teddy to day care and she would take Clara to the station. It was their routine. Even when they had been at each others throats they had stuck to it. This morning, however, she had woken up to her alarm and an empty bed on Neal's side, with no note to explain where he was, and she'd had to get the kids up and ready for the day on her own. Emma had had to try really had to remember the techniques that they'd learnt from their sessions with Archie. She did, however, feel guilty for her anger when she walked into the Sheriff's station a few hours later, after she had dropped Teddy off at day care, to find every surface covered in roses; red, white, pink, yellow... Thousands upon thousands. With Neal stood in the middle of the room with that smile on his face.

"Someone's hoping to get lucky." Leroy had said from one of the cells. Which had, of course, led to Emma throwing a stapler at him.

"How did that make you feel?" Archie asked, as she sat in front of him later in the day. He had suggested that, while they had sessions as a couple, they also had seperate ones where they could discuss their own issues. Emma wondered how many issues Archie thought they needed to work through. Considering he wanted to see them once a week as a couple, as well as two separate sessions each, at the surprisingly rubish pay that he was being given, Emma realised that the answer was probably very high.

Emma shrugged. "Surprised, I guess."

"Just surprised."

Emma sighed, trying to think of what else to say. "Happy... I felt so... Loved?"

"Does he give you surprises like these often?" Archie asked, letting her off the hook when she continued to struggle. Talking about feelings was the thing she hated most about these sessions.

"Not so much recently. Always on Valentines day."

"Is Valentines Day a special day for the two of you?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "It's kind of our wedding anniversary." She admitted. Archie blinked.

"Kind of?"

"We don't class it as our anniversary. Neal," Emma began slowly, "likes to make grand guestures during Valentines. One year he brought us a house, the year I was pregnant with Teddy he decorated the nursery, another year he jumped into a lake in Alaska wearing nothing but his boxers. The year we got back together after breaking up in Tallahassee, he got me into his car wearing a suit and took me to a hotel. He had planned an entire wedding, invited all of our the people we knew from Tallahasee, and had gotten me this beautiful dress, all without me knowing. In three weeks."

"That was very short notice."

"He may have told a lot of people that I was dying."

Archie had to stop himself from smiling at that. "So, the two of you married on Valentines day?" he asked.

"I kicked off, shouting at him, scared most of the guests into leaving early... but then, I calmed down and got into my dress, walking down the aisle, was about to say I do and then ran off. I got scared. And, when I get scared, I ruin things." Emma said mournfully, remembering the motel in Tallahassee when Neal proposed. "We got married eventually. Neal tracked me down and we talked for hours. By the time we decided that we were going to get married, the hotel was having another wedding and all of our guests were gone. We ended up getting married in Vegas with two random strangers as witnesses."

"Not exactly what either of you would've liked." Archie smiled sadly.

Emma snorted. "Not the fairytale no, but... one of the best days of my life."

"Do you have anything planned this year?"

"Neal celebrates Valentines day, I don't. Every year he does something special and I just act like it's any other day."

"Maybe this year it would be good to do something." Archie suggested. "Nothing major, just something. Maybe Neal needs to feel loved too." He added on at the end, when she didn't say anything.

...

Mary Margaret was fully aware that she was being watched and, to her embarassment, her heart was hammering in her chest, she was blushing like one of her children had when her class had spent the afternoon making Valentine's Day cards, and she couldn't stop the silly grin on her face. Everytime she looked up, her eyes met those of David's and her smile grew, as did his.

When she saw the book in David's hand, she decided to break the silence. "Oh, you got the book." She said. It was one of her favourites. One he'd been seeing her read, and had questioned her about it, for the past week.

David nodded with a smile. "Yeah," he said, glancing at the front cover. "I just started it. It's great. Can't wait to see how it ends."

"Um, I can push the tables together if you guys - " Ruby, who had arrived at Mary Margaret's table to refil her coffee, suggested. The two of them were siting an aisle apart - something Mary Margaret had forgotten and she blushed even more.

"Oh, no. We're not together." She said quickly, as David stuttered out, "No, no, that's - "

Ruby, smiling politely, nodded before walking off, leaving them both to pretend that they weren't completely interested in what they other was doing.

"Grandpa!" The little boy with brown hair and eyes, and an overjoyed expression on his face, ran over to David, plopping down in the seat next to him in the booth. David, who had long since gotten used to Teddy alternating between calling him David, Prince, and Grandpa, simply met the boy's smile with one of his own.

"Hey, little man." He said, as the rest of the family joined Mary Margaret. He met Neal's eyes, shrugging when the other man mouthed an apology over his son's head. David honestly didn't mind; the little boy was a joy to be around, he could call him whatever he wanted.

"Mary Margaret." Emma smile, sitting down opposite her friend. Both she and Neal stared at her as if she held all of the answers to the universe. She smiled knowingly to herself. "How's your day going?"

"Henry's fine." She assured them.

Neal gave her a fake look of puzzlement. "That's great, thanks for letting us know. But how are you?"

"Neal, she knows." Emma told him, rolling her eyes. Neal sighed.

"Well, if she hadn't before, she does now."

"Yeah, you should've pretended to not know anything about it." Teddy agreed, stretching to share a high five with his dad across the aisle, before blurting out, "That's what daddy does when he's done something wrong."

Neal's lip twitched as Mary Margaret and David laughed, and Emma looked at him with her eyebrows raised. "I'm not guilty, I never do anything wrong." He smiled at his wife, trying to look as innocent as possible. Emma stared at him for a moment before rolling her eyes again, turning back to their room mate. Neal continued to smile to himself as he accepted the cup of coffee from Ruby; it had been a long time since he and Emma had been able to joke around like they had in the beginning.

"You sure?" she asked her friend, feeling more relaxed than she had during the entire day. The days seemed to drag the more they went without seeing Henry, the more they had to wait for Mary Margaret to finish work at the end of the day and tell them how Henry was at school. Add to the fact that she was now trying to find something special for Neal, Emma's day had not been the best.

Mary Margaret nodded. "Really. He's his normal self again. Regina won't keep you separated forever. When people are supposed to be together, they find a way." Her eyes met David's once more at that. He gave her a small smile before looking back down at Teddy, who was trying to convince the man to teach him how to ride a horse - despite the fact that David didn't know the first thing about riding horses. The five year old was adament that his 'grandpa' was going to teach him how to be a Prince, and he didn't 'need to worry about getting him a horse because Daddy already had one in the Storybrooke stables'.

"So, he's fine, then?" Neal asked, just to be sure, his anxiety starting to ebb away when she smiled reassuringly at him. "He's happy?"

"Yes." Mary Margaret replied. Her words, despite being what they wanted to hear, made Emma and Neal's smiles fall at the realization that they were feeling their son's absence a lot more than he was feeling theirs. Mary Margaret's eyes widened when she saw their expressions, and understood how they were feeling. "No! He misses you all - a lot. Trust me, I'm with him, like, six hours a day!"

Her voice had drifted through the diner and caught the attention of Ashley, who had just arrived with baby Alexandra in her arms. "Six hours?" she questioned, her eyes wide. "You take newborns? 'Cause I'd love six hours off."

She went to hand the baby over to Granny, who completely adored the newest member of Storybrooke, but was stopped by Neal. "No! Sorry, but I don't think so ladies." He said, getting up from his seat, holding out his arms for the baby. "You both get a cuddle everyday, my turn." Granny and Ashley both smiled as the baby was placed into Neal's arms, 'aww'-ing when Alexandra snuggled into Neal's chest.

Emma turned to Mary Margaret. "What is it about women overreacting when they see a man holding a baby?" she asked, rolling her eyes that Mary Margaret also had a dazed look in her eyes, a faint blush on her cheeks. She didn't understand why the sight made some women act the way they did.

"Have you never noticed when Neal held Teddy or Clara?"

Emma shrugged. She had been rather tense and anxious after both times she had given birth to her children; with Teddy, she had struggled to bond and would happily let Neal pick him up when he cried. With Clara, on the other hand, when they were finally able to hold her, she had been too worried that she would hurt her - Neal had always been better, more gentle, when holding Teddy and she could't hold Clara for more than few minutes before she began to panic. "To be honest, I was just glad he was taking them for a bit." Or for a few hours, atleast.

"I almost didn't recognise you." Neal told Ashley, completely oblivious to the conversation between his wife and friend, as he led the young girl over to the table. "How you been?"

"It's, uh..." Ashley paused, looking at Alexandra before giving them an exasperated smile. "I mean, the baby's great, but we really haven't had time to do the whole getting married thing. So, that's been rough. And Sean's been working double shifts at the cannery."

"Well, he has to work." Mary Margaret pointed out.

"On Valentine's day?" Ashley grimaced. Emma and Neal smiled to each other - like every year, they didn't have anything special planned. Well, nothing that they had spoken to the other one about. They were spending it in the station with the kids, hopefully not having to leave but, if they did, alternating between who's turn it is. Possibly tossing a coin. The idea, surprisingly, made Emma feel a bit miserable. For the first time in their relationship, she _wanted_ to do something. Ashley sighed, miserably. "He couldn't get out of it."

"I'm sorry. That sucks." Emma said, more out of instinct than anything else because she didn't know what to say. She had never been a fan of Valentines Day; it just seemed more commercial than romantic in her eyes. Emma would never admit it to him, but the flowers that he got her had made her day and were still scattered around the station; which would be interesting if they ever needed to take a prisoner to the cells, but they made both Emma and Neal more cheerful.

"It doesn't have to." Ruby said, handing out more coffees. "Come out with me. Let's have a girl's night. We can all go; Mary Margaret and Emma too. If you leave the badge at home."

Emma looked between the three women like a deer in headlights, and Neal had to focus on the baby in his arms to stop himself from smiling, seeing her interested in Clara, who was only a few feet away, in Emma's arms. She was staring at the older baby with a look of deep interest and uncertainty, reaching out an arm to touch her. Clara stared back just as fascinated, she had never seen something smaller than her. Neal watched the two of them in amusement.

"Erm, I'm can't tonight, I'm working." Emma told them quickly.

"I could take over." Neal couldn't help himself, even when she shot him a sharp look.

"I'm not really in the party mood, but you guys can all go and have fun. We could watch Alexandra for you." She told Ashley, who gave her a thankful smile before they gaze turned to Neal, who was pulling faces at Alexandra, making the baby giggle uncontrollably. She stared at them for a moment before shaking her head; another baby was definitely too big a guesture to give her husband for Valentines Day. "Don't go getting any ideas." Emma ordered sternly.

"Come on, you don't wanna have another baby?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "If he had his way, we'd have eight by now." She told Mary Margaret and Ashley.

"I wouldn't say no." He admitted, giving his wife a suggestful smirk. She pursed her lips but was saved by Neal's phone buzzing.

"What's that?" Mary Margaret asked when Emma reached into Neal's pocket and looked at his phone.

"It's the station, something's up." Emma sighed.

"I'll watch the kids for you." Ashley offered, taking Alexandra back as Neal and Emma got up.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's the least I could do for you watching her tonight."

"Okay, thanks. Teddy, mate, David is going to need his arms back." Neal called over to Teddy, who was practically hanging off David's left arm. Teddy just gave him a smile back before going back to his one-sided conversation.

...

His father's house was pretty much what he had imagined it to be like. It was large, grand and, weirdly enough, pink. When he had become the dark one, Rumplestiltskin had transformed an abandoned castle, a few miles away from the village Neal had spent his entire life. When he was a child though, he hadn't wanted to leave. He had been content with their life as peasants so, instead, his father had used magic on their hovel to make it larger. All he wanted was his son's happiness, he had said.

As they got closer to the house, Neal noticed that the door was wide open and, as he squinted to try and see in through the gap, he was sure someone was moving around inside.

"Stay here." He told Emma, as he got out his gun. He didn't wait for his wife's answer as he crept into the house. He barely managed to get into the front room when he was face with his father, holding a gun in his direction.

Mr Gold rolled his eyes when he saw him, lowering his gun in an instant. "Sheriff Cassidy."

"Your neighbour saw your front door was open." He told him, lowering his own gun. Gold nodded.

"It appears I've been robbed."

"Funny how that keeps happening to you." A voice said from behind Neal, making him jump.

"Emma!"

Mr Gold ignored his outburst and turned calmly to face Emma, who had ignored his request to stay outside and followed her husband into the house. "Yeah, well, I'm a difficult man to love." He said dryly. Emma gave Neal a pointed look, which clearly said that she believed him on that. "Sheriff, Deputy, you can go now. I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here."

"That's not how this works." Neal told him but hesitated when his father turned his dead eyes onto him.

"Isn't it?" he asked, walking closer to him. Neal ignored the urge to move further away. "Can't we just pretend this never happened?"

"Neal isn't in your pocket." Emma snapped, glaring at the side of Gold's head.

Gold snorted. "I would say he is. He owes me quite a few favors."

"He owes you one!"

"Are you calling it in?" Neal asked challengingly, before his father could mention anything about helping him gain custody of Henry. Gold hesitated for a moment before backing up.

"This was a robbery," Emma said, still glaring angrily at the older man, "a public menace. And if you don't tell us what you know, we'll have to arrest you for obstruction of justice. I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars."

Neal noticed Mr Gold grimace and remembered that he'd spend his last few months in the Enchanted Forest in a cell created by Prince Charming and Snow White. As if his family couldn't get even more disfunctional.

"Indeed not." Mr Gold conceded. "Alright, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers. He recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral." His eyes met Neal at that.

"Okay." Emma nodded. "We'll go get him - check him out."

"I'm sure you will - assuming I don't find him... Let's just say, bad things tend to happen to bad people."

"You might want to remember that." Neal said blankly, when Emma's eyes narrowed. Mr Gold smirked, but said nothing as Neal lead his wife out of the house as quickly as he could.

...

"Why would anything need so much rubbish?" Emma asked as she stared at the table full of seemingly meaningless objects on Neal's desk.

"We were poor when I was young." Neal told her, making Emma look at him with interest. "When things changed, he began to bring home more things. Things we didn't need, antiques which were probably worth more than our house. His things became important to him."

"Do you recognise anything?" Emma asked carefully. Neal looked at all of the objects but nothing stood out; there were two brass candle stick holders, an antique vase, multiple bits of china, and a single velvet box. Overall, out of everything that Moe could've stolen, he had gone for the cheapest in the entire house. Curious, Neal reached for the velvet box and opened it, freezing at what he saw. "What is it?" Emma asked, noticing his reaction. Neal simply handed over the open box for her, leaving her staring at the blue sapphire ring inside. "Your mothers engagement ring."

"He told me that it was gone." Neal mumbled, leaning against the desk. "I used to love that ring, when my mother left us it was the only thing I had of her. I always held on to it. When I was eight, I couldn't find it and I was terrified of telling my dad that I had lost it. I felt so guilty."

"And he had it all this time." Emma sighed, gazing at the ring. Her hand instantly went to the replica hanging on her chain with her swan keychain. "You got it made perfectly."

Neal smiled. "I needed it to be perfect for you."

They sat in silence for a long moment before Emma was suddenly hit with an idea of a romantic guesture that she could do for Neal. She put the velvet box down on the desk and her hands instantly went for the chain around her neck; for a long time before they had gotten married, she had simply had the swan keychain on a chain around her neck but had since held it with the sapphire engagement ring on a longer chain, which kept the keychain and ring out of sight under her shirts. Neal's eyes widened when he realised what she was doing.

"Don't!" He hissed, watching as she switched the rings.

"They're identical." Emma protested, placing the real ring on her chain and placing it back around her neck. "Besides, it belongs to you more than it does him. You told me he hated your mother."

"Later yes, but not when he hid the ring from me. And he _will_ know the difference."

Neal startled when he heard footsteps heading down the corridor towards the Sheriff's station; one set of them very familiar, he could always recognise the sound of his father walking with his stick, even when he was a child. It was a sound he had lay listening to when he couldn't sleep at night, hearing his father walking around their small hovel was oddly comforting and, on nights where he lay awake scared - because he could hear the harsh winds hitting the already-weak roof of their home, or the sounds of the battlefield so far away but sounding as if it was right outside - the sound could send him back to sleep.

Emma leaned casually against the doorframe, while Neal panicked and quickly shut the velvet box, putting it back in the middle of the rest of the meaningless objects, trying to remain calm as his father walked into the station.

"Your welcome." Emma said pointedly, when he didn't say anything after a long moment trying to cover up her guilt. "You were right," she told the pawnbroker. "Your man Moe ripped you off. It was all still at his place."

"And the man himself." Mr Gold asked, looking directly at Neal.

Neal cleared his throat, looking down awkwardly. "We're closing in on him." He told him, making the older man scoff.

"So, job well 'half done' then."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "Hey, in less than a day, Neal has got everything back. Is something wrong?" she asked, when she saw Gold scanning through the objects. The couple tensed, sharing a nervous glance.

"You've recovered nothing. There's something missing." He snapped, turning to leave in a rush. Neal held his breath as he stared after him in concern, having caught the slight desperation in his father's eyes at his admission. That couldn't be about the ring, his father hated the ring that he gave his mother - Neal now knew that it was a reminder that she had left him, that she was gone and he hadn't been able to do anything about it. After he would've found out the truth, that Milah had abandoned them by choice, the ring would've had even less significance to him. He wouldn't have been surprised if his father had been angry if the ring was missing - it was, after all, one of his 'things' - but he would've been far from _desperate_ of all things. Neal looked over the items, all of them grand and expensive, and wondered what could play on his father's emotions as this missing item clearly was.

"I'll get it when I find him." He promised, before his father could leave.

His father didn't even pause. "Not if I find him first."

...

"I can't believe you did that." Neal said later that evening, when they had put Teddy, Clara and Alexandra down for a nap in Neal's office. Emma didn't say anything behind him and Neal turned, surprised to find her on her knee with his mother's ring in her hand, looking up at him smiling. Unable to think of what to say he laughed.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Oh, that's encouraging."

"What are you doing?" he asked, in disbelief.

"What does it look like?"

"You are aware that we're already married, right?"

"But we didn't have a proper wedding, did we?" Emma pointed out calmly, forcing herself to stay on one knee rather than get up like she really wanted to. She took a deep breath. "Not like we should've had. But, because of me, it was ruined."

"Emma - "

"So," Emma interrupted, before Neal could say anything else. "Neal Cassidy, I know that we are going through a rough spot at the moment but, I would very much like to stay married, and to prove that will you please renew our vows with me."

Neal beamed. "Of course I will, you mad woman." He said, pulling Emma up by her waste and kissing her deeply. The two of them stayed like that for a long time, wanting nothing more than to stay like it forever; for now they could pretend that their family wasn't broken, that they didn't have the threat of Regina or Mr Gold hanging over their heads permanently, that they weren't the same people who had gotten married all of those years ago. They could pretend that everything was perfect because, in that moment, it was. That perfect moment was, of course, broken by the sound of a phone ringing.

"Ignore it." Emma whispered, her eyes still closed when her husband pulled out from their kiss.

"I can't." Neal whispered back.

"Of course you can." Emma countered.

"No, I really can't."

Emma sighed heavily, loosening her arms from around his neck. "Why did you have to become responsible in your old age?" she grumbled.

Neal smirked. "Because you love me that way."

...

When Neal arrived at the small cabin, just past the Toll Bridge, he took out his gun automatically. He half hoped that Regina had been trying to cause trouble by reporting his father, but he remembered how his father used to be when someone crossed him, he remembered the lengths that his father would go to if he was unhappy, and he knew that his hopes were more than likely going to be dashed. Moe French was almost certainly in danger, and, as much as he hated to admit it, Neal's gun was surely going to be needed. And, sure enough, as he got closer he could hear Moe French's cries of pain. Neal sighed heavily, closing his eyes briefly as the man's words washed over at him.

"Ow! Stop! It wasn't my fault!" He heard Moe shout out and ran over to the cabin, about to burst in and stop his father from making a bad situation worse... but, when his father spoke, he sounded so broken, so sad and desperate, that against his better judgement, Neal froze.

"'My fault'?!" He cried, his voice breaking as he spoke. "What are you talking about, 'my fault'? You shut her out. You had her love, and you shut her out! She's gone. She's gone forever; she's not coming back. And it's your fault! Not mine! You are her father! Yours! It's yours! It's your fault!" He shouted and Neal kicked the door in, his eyes widening when he saw Mr Gold hitting Moe repeatedly with his cane, crying out 'your fault! It's your fault!' with each hit.

Neal burst forward, grabbing the cane before he could hit the poor man again, and holding it tightly when Gold went to turn his anger on Neal instead, for getting in the way. The two of them glared at each other, but the tears in his father's eyes prevented Neal from being as angry as he felt he should be. "Enough." He said firmly. Enough, Papa. Mr Gold stared at him for a long moment; his rage slowly disappearing from his expression and turning into regret. "Go and wait outside." He ordered. The man, for once, went without question.

Neal stayed with Moe French until the ambulance got there, half his attention on the man trying to get some sense out of him but his words were jumbled and he was confused, so Neal struggled to make anything out that could help him understand why his father was acting the way he was towards the florist - he was also fully aware that the issue may not be with Moe French himself, but with the person he had been before. The man he had been in the Enchanted Forest had clearly wronged the Dark One, and Neal couldn't get his father's words out of his head. They were running around and around, echoeing in his ears. The other half of his attention, was on the man standing outside - he was sure that had Regina had been there, she would've criticised him for his decision to let Mr Gold leave. After all, he could've quite easily have stolen Neal's squad car and drove off, escaping justice while Neal tended to Moe; Neal had, without thinking, left the keys in the ignition. His father, however, never attempted to leave - he was slumped up against the side of the squad car, looking resigned, which was a far cry to how he had been looking at the beginning of the twenty minute wait. Neal had a bizarre urge to go out and ask if he was okay when his father had started sobbing uncontrollably, his head in his hands as he sank to the floor - Neal had watched bemusedly as his father managed to control himself, but never left Moe. No matter what Moe French had done in a previous life, he didn't deserve to get punished for it in this one.

The first time he allowed himself to walk over, was when Moe was being led out of the cabin in a stretcher, by paramedics. By this time, his was standing there impassively, as if his break down had never happened. For a moment, Neal wondered if he had imagined the whole thing.

"So," Neal began, leaning against the car next to him, his arms folded across his chest. "You haven't managed to break anything he needs, which is lucky."

"You've got a funny definition of lucky." Gold grumbled, glaring after the ambulance.

"Much like your definition of justice." Neal shot back. "What did he do to you?"

"He stole."

"No." Neal shook his head, his temper starting to rise. He pushed it down hurridly. "There is no way you - of all people - would react like that just because he stole a few meaningless objects. You said something about 'her', about his daughter... who was that?"

Mr Gold was silence for a moment, as if thinking about how he should answer, and Neal deluded himself into thinking that he could possibly manage to get his father to open up to him. "No." He said suddenly, making Neal sigh. "I'm sorry, Sheriff. I think you heard that wrong."

"Just tell me." He pleaded, clenching his fist. He wanted, _needed,_ to know the truth; because if there was something behind all of this like he suspected, if it went deeper than a few stupid things being stolen by a desperate man, then maybe he could understand. A part of him knew that there had to be something going on, and another little voice - a tiny, annoying little voice - was seeping doubt into Neal's head. The longer he went without answers, the less he understood and the angrier he felt towards his father.

Gold glared at him. "Look, we're done here." He hissed, going to leave.

Neal stared after him incredulously. "You haven't changed one bit." He snapped, before he could stop himself. He cringed, as his father turned to look at him mockingly.

"Because I'm helping you get back the son, you think I'm a changed man?" he scoffed. "It's a nice notion, Mr Cassidy, but I didn't think you were a child."

Glaring back at him, Neal took out a pair of handcuffs, ignoring how the glare intensified at his actions. "Mr Gold, you're under arrest."

...

"Why are you in prison?"

Neal looked up from his paperwork, tensing when he saw Teddy standing in front of the cell, looking up at Gold innocently. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Emma pay closer attention as well. "Have you been bad?" he asked.

Mr Gold looked down at the boy and Neal held his breath. His father smiled kindly. "Yes, I have. I'm not a very good person." He admitted honestly. Teddy frowned.

"Just because you've done the wrong thing, doesn't mean that you're a bad person." Teddy insisted. Emma smiled from her desk, while Gold lifted an eyebrow.

"No?"

"Nope. My mommy went to jail and she's a good person. My daddy says that bad people can make themselves better anyway, so you don't need to worry about that." The little boy said happily. His words, however, made the landlord's smile more forced, and he said nothing in return.

The room fell back into silence; with the exception of Neal and Emma's pens scratching against paper, and Clara banging her building blocks together as if she can make them stick and her tower won't fall down, as it had done three times in the past ten minutes. Emma was the first to speak, two hours later, when Ruby finally arrived with their lunch.

"Teddy bear," she called over to the five year old. Neal looked over and his heart jumped in his chest when he saw his son was still next to the cell, his father crouched down next to him; it looked like they had been having a private conversation, his father had been speaking to Teddy so quietly that neither he or Emma had heard him, while Teddy had been listening intently. Teddy looked over at his mother, while Gold met Neal's gaze, staring back impassively as he sat back on the bed. "Let's go and get some lunch." Emma continued, though the frown on her face told Neal that she had seen the same as he had. "You can help me pick something out for Clara."

For a moment, Teddy didn't move. He looked back at the man within the cell. "Do you want anything, Mr Gold?" he asked.

Gold just shook his head with a, "No, thank you."

"Okay."

Neal hesitated, as his family crowded around the food Ruby had left for them, before he walked over to the cell, leaning against it with his hands in his pockets. "You know what I'm curious about?" he began.

Gold rolled his eyes. "No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me."

"Who 'she' is?" he continued as if he had never been interrupted. Mr Gold's jaw tensed. "Is she related to Mr French? Is she hurt? Is she in danger? I can't help unless you tell me something?"

"You can't help!" Mr Gold snapped, louder so that all could hear. "And if you want me to help you get custody of Henry, I would suggest you mind your own business."

"Wait, what?" Emma blurted out from her desk, over a mouthful of her sandwich, looking over at them wide eyed.

Neal cringed. "Great, just great." He muttered.

"So, you haven't told her then." Gold stated, a sly smirk. Neal sent him a glare.

"I was planning to."

"Well, you've had a month."

"We'll talk about this more later, I promise. I've only been looking into the idea because of how Regina treats Henry. It's an option." Neal said lowly, and Emma relaxed. She turned her attention to the smug pawnbroker.

"What?! Hold on a second, _you_ have been helping _him_ try and get custody of Henry?" Emma questioned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Yes. And, considering he owes me a favor, I would say that was very generous of me."

Emma glared at the reminder and, with a reluctant sigh, she leaned back in her seat. That argument was one that she didn't think would be wise to get into; Gold had just beat a man nearly to death, who knew what he had in store for Neal if the two of them got on his bad side. Despite knowing that the sinister man and her husband were father and son, she still couldn't believe it by looking at them. Mr Gold was by far, the worst and most twisted man she'd ever had the misfortune of meeting - he was great when going up against Regina but his deals and his methods were something which Emma deeply disagreed with - while Neal was the complete opposite. Neal had often had trouble doing the right thing in the past, his moral compass had never pointed in the 'right' direction, but he had never deliberately put someone else's life in danger in order to get what he wanted.

Emma looked down at her food, noticing that, while Gold had refused food, he had been eyeing it before he had eventually averted his eyes to the floor. He was being stubborn. "Pastrami," she said, gaining the older man's attention. She ignored her husband's warning glare as he tried, and failed, to feed their fourteen month old daughter. "You want half?" she asked, holding it up for him to see. Gold stared back at her blankly. "Nice, fatty, pastrami. Delicious way to clear the books." She nodded her head towards Neal, who sighed heavily.

"When the day comes that I make my request, it'll be for more than half a sandwhich." He said, with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Emma's smile faded and Neal tensed for a moment before shaking his head, he didn't want to think about what his father had planned, he already knew that it would more than likely be unpleasant and something Neal really didn't want to do. But, he made a deal with the Dark One, and nobody broke deals with him.

"Henry!" Teddy exclaimed happily, making Neal and Emma spin around to see Regina and Henry walk into the Sheriff's station. Teddy ran over to Henry and wrapped his arms around his middle; Henry, just as happily, picked the smaller boy up and held him tightly.

"I'm letting you have thirty minutes with Henry." Regina said, when both Neal and Emma jumped off their seats. She paid no attention to the touching scene between the two brothers, nor their parent's longing looks at their eldest son, instead she looked at Mr Gold, who didn't look one bit surprised to see her. "Take him out - buy him ice cream."

"And leave you with the prisoner." Neal said, seeing the intensity of her gaze. "Alone..."

"Twenty nine and a half minutes." Regina said, never taking her eyes off Mr Gold.

"Hi." Henry smiled at them, looking thrilled to see them after a month of seperation. Neal and Emma instantly smiled back.

"Hey." Emma whispered, while Neal looked at his father uncertain. Mr Gold just smiled.

"Bring me back a cone?" he suggested with a shrug.

Reluctantly, Neal allowed himself to pulled out of the station by his wife, following her and his kids to get ice cream. "Just this once." He muttered, when he passed the mayor. Neal wondered how many other times in the duration of their stay that he was going to prioritise the safety and happiness of his new family in exchange for his old one, and he wondered why it suddenly bothered him now. His father had abandoned him, and he had hated him for it for so long. But seeing the look of desperation in his eyes the previous night reminded him of a night so familiar, yet one which seemed like a lifetime ago. For the first time, Neal saw the man behind the Beast. His father had clearly loved someone - or claimed to - as much as he had loved Bae, and he had lost them to. Despite Neal's anger and resentment, he couldn't stop himself from feeling sympathetic towards the man, and a strange urge to protect him.

...

AN - So, one of my favourite chapters of the series and the one I struggled with the most :) I wanted to get in scenes with Rumple, along with relationship building scenes between Neal and Emma. What did you guys think of the proposal? Or the scene between Rumple and Neal? Okay, so, I'm really looking forward to next chapter because we have more flashbacks!

 **Reviews...**

 **Mereseger -** I'm sorry about the British words; that's the problem with being a Bristish fan :/ I try to catch as many as I can, so I'm sorry about that. Same about the 'mate' issue; I tend to use a variation between 'mate', 'buddy' and 'bud' simply because that's how _my_ Neal would talk to his children compared to canons Neal which doesn't have any experience with having children.

 **Bookwyrm52 -** Yeah, we never really see much interaction between Neal and... well... anyone, really. I agree, I like Hook but the Baelfire storyline was one that really gripped me, more so than even the curse or Emma and Mary Margaret trying to get back to Storybrooke. And, despite the less moral things he's done in the past, in canon he does seem to be one of the only characters which were truly 'good' compared to characters like the Charmings which we see in series four could be just as bad as the villains, but it was acceptable for them because they were 'heroes'.

 **Dancing4every1 -** Thank you :D and I think it's definitely something I want to do. Charming is one of my favourite characters of the show and I hated that he had absolutely no proper interaction with Neal, despite him being his grandsons father :/

 **crazyhpcfan -** I think they desperately need to, and it will only make them stronger in the long run :) And I know! One of my favourite episodes of series one and I struggled with how I should go with it the most! Typically me. Rumple just seems to make things worse and worse between him and Neal, something which he is going to regret later on, but atleast Neal seems to be changing his view on his father even if just a little... But who knows how much that will last. Glad you enjoyed the last chapter and hope this one was just as good :D

 **hateme101 -** Thank you :D Neal really _really_ doesn't want Rumple to know the truth about who he is, so that may not be the way he finds out... and I hope Neal's reaction to how Rumple was in this chapter was good enough for you :)

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thank you :D and I'm sorry about the sadness, I think sadness is needed if we want to have the happiness as well. And I sort of have an idea of where I want the series to go upto series three and I have an idea of what I'm doing when it comes to Rumple finding out about Neal, Charming getting his memories back, Emma and whoever she's with in the Enchanted Forest trying to get back to Storybrooke... ;)

 **Bookworm0913 -** We saw a few hints but, since it's revolving mainly around Neal and Emma, and their family, it's unlikely that we'll be seeing anything from the Enchanted Forest in this series unless it involves Neal's flashbacks. I thought that would be the most realistic option to break someone's curse early, and I think that interactions between Neal and Charming would be good to see, especially before the curse is broken for everyone else. With Neal and Rumple, it wouldn't be realistic enough for them to patch things up instantly, Neal would've had centuries of resentment against his father that hasn't gone away despite being around him more. Yes, he's shown more of an interest in Rumple and his past, but he still see's him as the monster that used to terrorise people in their village, and Rumple has only made that worse in this episode. The beginning of series two for Neal and Emma would be very interesting, her finding out about his past is one of the main things that would be a turning point for their relationship - whether it is good or bad can depend on how it's handled at the beginning of series two... Hope this chapter was worth the wait.

 **Many Voices In My Head -** Thank you :D It's great hearing things like that, knowing that I'm the same with other stories as well. I never once expected people would love this story so much. I thought I needed to show Regina's softer side and I have a scene between her and Teddy which will show the other side to Regina; I like the redemption storyline for Regina that they've done in canon and I would like to show her good side, but with Neal I don't think he will be as willing to believe that she can be good with his experience with Rumple :/ And yes, there are many way that the curse could be broken ;) I have many ideas which I'm toying with...

 **Pind50 -** Thanks, and yes that will be very interesting. Can't wait to write the scene between the two of them, and the scenes after the revelation.

 **-** Thank you, and thank you so much for you review.

 **Aaron Leach -** Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)


	14. Chapter 14

**What Happened to Fredrick?**

"So, the two of you haven't always been together in all of that time since Emma came out of prison?" Archie asked, stunned. He had always thought that the two of them, despite their current differences, were unbreakable. He watched as both Neal and Emma shifted slightly, the subject clearly a touchy one for both of them.

"We broke up two years after that." Neal admitted. "We found each other a little over eight months later."

"Is that when you got back together?"

"Not straight away. Things were... complicated." Emma admitted quietly.

"In what way?" Archie asked, and the couple shared a glance.

...

August 2004

Emma walked through the party silently, blending into the crowd as if she wasn't there. She was used to pretending to be invisible; the few short months alone had isolated her from nearlly everyone. In fact, before she had arrived in Denver, she couldn't remember the first time she had a conversation with another human being which didn't have anything to do with her lunch order. It had been eight months since she had left Tallahassee, since she had left Neal, and she had felt a hole in her heart ever since.

She had tried to move on but she couldn't honestly say that she was at peace with her decison, she hadn't wanted to marry him, she knew that she was in no way ready for that. They were too young, he was too immature, she had become, admittedly, too closed off. But, she wished that she hadn't let him go. She wished that she had fought for their relationship and, when she had come to the realisation that she regretted her decision, she had gone back to the motel. A part of her knew that he wouldn't be there, but her heart had still sunk when she had saw the empty room.

"Emma!" A bubbly, familiar voice said suddenly, breaking her out of her misery. Emma forced a smile onto her face as Hannah ran over. Hannah was very short, over a head smaller than Emma herself and that was without Emma's heels, but her bubbliness almost made her bounce so she seemed taller than she actually was. Hannah and Emma had been working together since Emma had started at the dinner; while Emma saw it as a part time thing, Hannah seemed to genuinely love it. The younger girl always had a true smile on her face even on the worst days, although she secretly told her that she had dreams of making it in law. Hannah, unlike many others, wasn't put off by Emma's closed off attitude, in fact she treated her as if they had been friend's for years. Emma honestly liked her.

"Have you met my husband?" Hannah asked suddenly, turning Emma around. Emma froze, her heart feeling like it was climbing up her throat when her eyes connected with dark brown, and she was left staring at the last person she had ever expected to see again, and - going by his expression - he was just as shocked to see her here as well. "Neal, this is Emma."

...

A weird truth is that Emma hadn't thought of the stranger in months, despite him being there in the background as a new constant. But, to be completely honest, she'd had bigger things on her mind - still did, now that she was planning her new wedding with Neal. It was for that reason that when she arrived at Granny's a couple of days after Neal proposed, she almost walked right past him.

"I've been meaning to bump into you." He said, causing her to stop and turn around to face him. He smiled at her in a way that she supposed was meant to be charming. "Matter of fact, I was hoping we might grab that drink you promised."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Is that you asking me out?" she asked, he shrugged.

"Well, if putting a label on it makes you more comfortable, sure. Let's call it a date."

"I think my husband may have something to say about that. Besides which, I thought you came here to write, to find inspiration."

"I'm optimistic about our date."

"And I'm optimistic that you will end up with a black eye."

"Neal and I will be fine. It's just a drink."

"See, I have a policy - I won't assosciate myself with guys who won't tell me their names. I teach my kids about stranger danger. One thing I definitely know about guys who keep secrets, is that they usually have something to hide. It was nice talking to you." She said, turning around.

"It's August." He called after her. "August W. Booth."

Emma scoffed. "Really? With the middle initial?"

"W's for Wayne. So, there goes your reason for not meeting me here after work." He said, before hopping on his bike and riding off. Emma watched after him before shaking her head, walking into the diner to meet with her family and Mary Margaret.

"Who was that?" Mary Margaret asked Neal, who had watched the exchange stonily.

"Someone I wish would just leave." Neal grumbled as Emma sat down at the table. Despite his attempt at being quiet, Emma heard him.

"Okay, seriously, who is he?" she demanded, folding her arms across her chest.

"No one you need to worry about. Why are you so interested?"

"It's nothing." She shrugged off.

Mary Margaret and Neal shared a glance. "Nothing with you means something." Neal pointed out. Mary Margaret nodded.

"Because if it were nothing, we wouldn't be talking about it." She added, glancing at Neal. "That goes for you too. It clear to see that you and he have history."

"Didn't you call us here to talk about you?" Neal asked suddenly, in an attempt to change the subject.

"Yeah, but talking about you two and your problems is easier right now."

"What is it?" Emma frowned in concern. "What's going on?"

Mary Margaret hesitated before leaning across the table, lowering her voice so that only Neal and Emma could hear her. "Remember when you told me to stay away from David and I agreed?"

"Yes."

"I didn't."

Neal and Emma smirked. "We know." Neal admitted, and Mary Margaret's eyes widened in surprise.

"You do? How?"

"Because we're the police, and you are a lovesick school teacher." Emma pointed out, amused that Mary Margaret thought she had managed to hide everything from them. "Covering your tracks is not exactly your strong suit."

"Well, I've been discre - " Mary Margaret said highly, before speaking more quietly after glancing around the diner to see if anyone had overheard. "Discrete."

"Two teacups in the sink, new perfume, late nights, plunging necklines." Mary Margaret blushed even more as Emma listed everything off. "It was not hard to connect the dots."

"Plunging?"

"When I met you, you were a top button kind of girl."

"Huh... Why didn't you say anything?"

Neal shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. "We're not your parents."

"No." Mary Margaret sighed. "Well, according to Henry, I'm Emma's." She looked at Neal. "That would make you my son-in-law."

Neal smiled happily. He couldn't wait for her to find out the truth, he just hoped she liked him as much as she seemed to as Mary Margaret. "Do I get to call you mom?"

Emma rolled her eyes at him and continued. "I just figured that you would let me know when it was time. I'm assuming its time."

"He's telling Kathryn." Mary Margaret breathed.

Neal raised an eyebrow, as he and Emma shared a glance. "Everything?"

"Everything."

"When all of this comes out, just remember that we're here for you." Emma said, giving the other woman's hand a gentle squeeze. She could see the hope in her friend's eyes and Emma knew that, despite the guilt she felt other what she and David had done to Kathryn, she was excited for everything to be out in the open. Emma didn't have the heart to tell her that even though she was getting her 'happy ending' with David, nothing was going to be as perfect as she hoped it would. Everything was going to get very messy after David's talk with Kathryn.

...

September 2004

Neal and Emma hadn't spoken at all. It had been a month since the party, since Emma had found herself face to face with her ex, in the arms of his brand new wife. Emma couldn't understand how she hadn't seen him before; she had been in Denver for weeks, working at that dinner with Hannah since her first day since moving their, and she had never once seen him. She had heard of Hannah's husband, Hannah was like a love struck teenager and never shut up about him, and she had heard that he had 'popped round' while she had been on her break, or had just arrived for her shift. But she had never saw him. Now, it was like he was always there.

Whenever Emma turned around, her heart panged painfully because Hannah was always hugging him, or kissing him, or they were giggling playfully with each other. If he caught her looking, he would always pull away from her and act more serious, more like the Neal she knew in the last year or so that they were in Tallahassee. He was worried about hurting her feelings, she had realised. But it didn't change anything; they had lost their Tallahassee, and he had found it with someone else.

It wasn't until half way through September, that he had actually worked up the courage to come and speak to her. Which had, of course, led to Emma slapped him around the face.

"What the hell was that for?!" He exclaimed, holding his cheek which, to Emma's satisfaction, was already bright red.

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" she snapped. Neal looked down. "How long did it take you before you married her?"

"Six weeks." Neal admitted, cringing slightly when he saw her expression. "We'd just broken up and I came to Denver, Hannah wanted to go to Vegas for the weekend and it just... happened."

"I must have meant a lot to you."

"You did. You _do_."

"Go and tell that to Mrs Cassidy."

"Emma, I'm with her because I don't want to break her heart." Neal snapped. "I don't love her. I care about her, she's a great friend, but I don't love her like I love you!"

Emma stared at him for a long moment. There was a lot of things that she wanted to say, a lot of hurtful things she wanted to throw at him, but with his confirmation that he didn't love Hannah, that he loved her, had thrown her off. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Neal had once told her that he loved managing to make her speechless, and now he truly had. Without thinking about what she was doing - thinking only of the man in front of her, the man she loved - Emma grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him towards her, pressing her mouth against his.

...

"WHAT?!" Neal exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa. Emma and Archie watched him cautiously. "Are you kidding me?!"

"It's only a drink?" Emma protested.

"With someone I despise!"

"But you won't tell me why, so then why should I avoid him like the plague?!"

"Maybe it would be better if you told us why you don't like Mr Booth, Neal?" Archie suggested calmly. Neal hesitated, sitting back down.

"He's just... someone from my past."

Emma shook her head with a laugh. "You see," she said to Archie. "That's all he'll ever say. He doesn't tell my why he's so angry, he won't give any explanations but I'm supposed to do everything he says when it comes to August. At least with his dad I can understand the reasons, I can respect his wishes knowing there's a reason behind them."

"And there is a reason why I don't want you around August." Neal promised but Emma just scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Is he dangerous? Do you think he could cause Emma harm?" Archie asked.

Neal sighed. "No." He admitted, knowing that August would never hurt Emma. He wanted her to break the curse, after all.

"Do you think he may cause issues in your relationship?" Archie asked then, looking at Neal almost knowingly. Emma looked at Neal then, with a frown.

It wouldn't be the first time, he thought to himself, but didn't say anything. His silence said everything for the other two in the room, anyway. Emma took his hand which had been resting on his lap and squeezed his hand comfortingly until he looked up at her.

She gave him a small smile. "It will never happen. You need to trust me."

"It's not you that I distrust."

"Why don't we come up with a compromise?" Archie suggested. "A trust exercise if you like. Emma, why don't you go on this drink with Mr Booth and then, when you've finished, you come back and tell Neal everything that happened on this drink. It may be a way to overcome any trust issues that the two of you have." Emma pulled a face, she wasn't keen on the idea but knew that something needed to give. She wasn't willing to let Neal tell her who she can or can't see, but she knew that she was going to hurt him by going. She nodded, rubbing her thumb comfortingly over the back of Neal's hand as he continued to squeeze her hand tightly. Archie turned to Neal. "Neal, I think one of the main things that we need to focus on if your trust issues and anger. How long do you think you've been like this?" he asked. Neal didn't say anything.

Emma sighed. "He's been like this ever since I've known him." She answered for him.

"What do you think has caused you to be like this?" Neal remained silent, not feeling like talking about this any more. Emma raised an eyebrow at the calm speaking man.

"What do you think? He was abandoned three times." She snapped.

"Emma." Neal said calmly.

"Sorry." Emma sighed.

"I've been like this ever since my step-father abandoned me. He was the last person before Emma that I trusted completely."

"Who was the first person to destroy your trust?" Archie asked, though he knew the answer. Though they had barely spoken of Mr Gold since Emma's revelation, Archie had a feeling that a lot of Neal's problems stemmed from what had happened between him and his father.

"My father." Neal confirmed. "My mother left before you but I was too young to know anything really. My father had told me that she had died."

"That was nice of him." Emma grumbled.

Neal smiled at her. "Well, as you've already seen, he's a pleasant man." He said, making her snort with laughter.

Archie smiled before he could stop himself. "Is it safe to say that there is a lot that has been left unsaid between you and your father. A lot which has been unresolved." Neal nodded. He knew that there was a lot that they should be getting through, which they needed to sort through so that both of them needed to deal with so that they could both move on - that is, if Neal had actually wanted a relationship with the man who he feared and, at times, still hated. "May I make a suggestion? Write him a letter. Put everything down on paper; how he made you feel when he abandoned you, the things you've been doing since then, what he's missed out on - "

"I don't want him to know who I am."

"You don't need to tell him. You said he had a different name for you, what was it?"

"Bae. He always called me Bae."

"Then he'll be getting a letter from Bae, not Neal Cassidy."

...

"Hey. Did, uh..." Mary Margaret took a deep breath as she walked down the stairs. "Did you do it?"

"Yeah." David sighed on the other end of the phone. "It's bad."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it was... It was really bad."

"But you told the truth." She pointed out, optimistically. "So, now, we can pick up the pieces. We can start over from a real place."

David didn't say anything for a moment but when he spoke again, his voice was much lighter. "Hey, I want to see you. Can I come by when you get done at school."

Mary Margaret smiled widely. "Of course! I'll see you then. And, David - you did the right thing." She said reassuringly, before hanging up. Her smile didn't last long however, because as soon as she turned the corner, she looked up to see Kathryn storming over to her, the rage and contempt aimed at Mary Margaret practically radiating off her so that children and other members of staff gave her a wide birth. "Kathryn. I'm sorry." She managed to say when the furious blond stopped in front of her, before her head snapped to the side with an audible crack and all eyes turned on them.

"Screw you, you're sorry." Kathryn snapped.

Ignoring the pain in her cheek, Mary Margaret took a deep breath. "I understand you're upset. You have every right to be." She said calmly, Kathryn scoffed in disbelief.

"Thank you for that insight!"

"Can we... Can we please talk somewhere private?"

"Private?! Why do _you_ get any consideration at all? You have shown none for me - either of you. All you did was lie!"

"We should have talked to you sooner, but we've been completely honest. We didn't lie."

"You didn't lie? You snuck around. You had him break up my marriage with a pack of lies. With some crap about not being able to connect? He didn't have any trouble connecting with you."

Mary Margaret stared at her blankly for a moment, trying to comprehend her words. "David didn't tell you about us?" she asked, feeling a tightening in her throat.

"No, of course not. That would have been the honourable thing to do."

"But... he said he would tell you." Mary Margaret said meekly.

Kathryn sneered at her. "Well, then he lied to you, too. Good luck making it work. You two deserve each other."

...

Despite her feelings towards Neal's anger at her decision to find out more about the stranger, she still couldn't stop herself from asking when August pulled up on his motorcycle outside Granny's, "Are you sure about this?" she asked.

"No." He answered honestly, before forcing a smile on her face. "But what's the worst that can happen?"

Giving his hand a quick squeeze, Emma walked over to the charming stranger. "You going to come in? I thought you wanted that drink?"

August smirked. "I do, but I didn't say here. Hop on." He patted the back on his bike. Emma hesitated, glancing back at Neal, flinching when she saw him glaring hatefully at the man in front of her.

Forcing herself to look to focus on him, she asked, "You want me to get on the back of that bike?"

"That's what 'hop on' means."

"How about if we go somewhere, I drive?" Emma suggested, trying to remain in control. Neal remained silent behind her.

"How about you stop having to control everything and take a leap of faith?" August shot back, and Emma sighed. "You owe me a drink. Hop on. I know a good watering hole."

"If you don't, I will." Granny said from behind her.

Emma glanced back at Neal, who smiled at her tightly and nodded. Reluctantly, her curiosity over August and his background with her husband overpowering her desire to stay with Neal, she took the helmet that August offered and climbed onto the back of the bike.

Once she was on, August looked over at Neal and smirked. "Don't worry, Neal." He called over. "I'll take good care of her." And then, he drove off down the street, leaving Neal staring after them.

...

Emma stared at the well in disbelief. "A _watering hole_." She repeated his words slowly, shaking her head as she looked between the well and August. "Literally?"

August shrugged, still smiling. "Well, say what you want about me - I always tell the truth."

"I just thought a drink was, like, wine or whiskey." Emma said as she followed him over to it.

"What, do you want me to get you drunk?" August raised an eyebrow. "What would Neal think?"

Emma frowned. "What's your deal with him?" she asked, getting straight to the point.

August sighed, leaning against the well. "Neal and I have a long and complicated history. Maybe it would be better if you ask him."

Emma grimaced, she had. For months now, she had been asking about his connection with August and she had gotten nothing. Even now, with their sessions with Archie, his answers were always vague and she was left more frustrated than when she first started asking questions. "I'm asking you." Emma pushed.

"Does it ever bother you about all of the secrets your husband keeps?" August questioned. "Did he tell you about his father? His wife?"

"I know about Gold." Emma snapped, looking down slightly. "And Hannah."

"Something are better left alone." August said, as he began to pull up the well's bucket. "They say there's something special about this well." He said, changing the subject. Emma rolled her eyes; the two may hate each other, but they were just as transparent as each other. "There's even a legend. They say that the water from the well is fed by an underground lake, and that lake has magical properties."

"Magic? You sound like Henry." Emma smiled fondly at the thought of the ten year old.

"Smart kid." August mused. "So, this legend. It says that if you drink the water from the well, something lost will be returned to you."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "You know an awful lot about this town for being a stranger."

"And you know very little for being the Deputy."

"How do you know all this? You've been here before?"

"I know all of this for one very simple reason." August told her. "I read the plaque."

Emma looked down and smiled when she saw the brass plaque on the side of the well. "You actually believe that?"

"I'm a writer. I have to have an open mind."

"Yeah, but magic?"

"Water is a very powerful thing. Cultures as old as time have worshipped it. It flows throughout all lands, connecting the entire world. If anything had mystical properties - if anything had magic - well, I'd say it'd be water."

"That's asking a lot to believe on faith." Emma grumbled.

"If you need evidence for everything, Emma, you're going to find yourself stuck in one place for a long time."

"Maybe. Or, maybe, I'll just find the truth before anyone else." Emma shot back, watching as he poured some of the 'mystical' water into a cup and handed it to her.

"Well, Miss Skeptic, there's one thing I can tell you for sure that requires no leap of faith, and I know you'll agree with me."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"It's good water."

...

"A mystical well? Really?" Neal raised his eyebrow. Emma laughed.

"That's what he said. Apparently, it's supposed to bring back that which has been lost."

"Well, we know where to look the next time you lose your wedding ring." Neal smirked, taking a sip of his coffee. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Mary Margaret Blanchard..."

"I know, what a tramp..."

"She should be ashamed of herself." He heard Granny say finally and turned to see Granny, Ruby and Mrs Ginger whispering together at the counter. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realise who they were talking about and why. Neal glanced at Emma to see that she had realised what was happening as well, she stared grimly back. "Honestly, I expected better from her. What kind of woman steals another woman's husband?"

The words, while expected, sounded extremely harsh coming from Granny's mouth and Neal's eyes hardened when he saw Emma flinch. He stood up without another word, ignoring Emma's pleading for him to sit back down as he walked over to the gossiping women.

"Hi." He said brightly, putting on a charming smile. The women smiled back, each giving him their greetings, however, their smiles disappeared in an instant as Neal carried. "Couldn't help hearing your conversation about my good friend, Mary Margaret. And, I must say, I think you're all digusting. I can't say the same about you Mrs Ginger, since you don't have many friends, but Granny, Ruby, Mary Margaret has been a friend to you for as long as you can remember and you're condeming her because of one mistake."

Ruby looked down sheepishly while Granny stared back at him defiantly. "What she did to that young woman was wrong - "

"She didn't do anything. Mary Margaret was single when she began a relationship with David Nolan, she didn't cheat on anybody."

"She broke up a marriage."

"Maybe that marriage was already broken." Neal shot back. "You should know everything before you start judging. I honestly expected better from you Granny, I always thought that you were a kind and caring woman but I guess I was wrong." He said, leaving Granny spluttering in outrage as he left the diner with Emma.

...

"Who did this?" Mary Margaret gasped, looking at her car mournfully. David spun around, a sad look on his face which she ignored, staring instead at the word 'tramp' staring back at her in big red letters.

"I don't know." David sighed, throwing down the sponge. "I'm sorry. I don't know how any of this happened."

Mary Margaret looked at him then, her brows furrowed. "You don't know? Really?"

"Mary Margaret, I can't control what other people do." David said softly.

"No, but you can control what you do." She shot back, and David looked down guiltily. "And you lied. And, now, everyone is calling me a tramp."

"Who told her?"

"That is exactly the wrong question. The real question is, why didn't you do what we discussed? Why didn't you tell her?"

"I thought we could spare her feelings."

"Right... _you_ thought. Not we, you. And we discussed this."

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

"Now everyone is hurt. We had an understanding. We had an agreement. But you not only lied to her, you lied to me."

"Mary Margaret, please. Listen to me." David pleaded, holding her hands in his, looking at her almost desperately. "If we want to see if... If this... If what we have is love... we have to do what you said. You know, pick up the pieces, and we've got to move on."

Mary Margaret felt a tear run down her face as she pulled her hands free from his grip. "David, this isn't love. What we have is something else entirely. What we have is destructive, and it has to stop."

David shook his head. "What are you saying?" he asked, already know, and dreading, her answer.

"That we shouldn't be together."

...

September 2004

Neal didn't think that he was a good man. He was well aware that he had done bad things in the past and, although he tried to be a good man, he was always ended up doing something wrong. Neal had never expected to become the kind of man who cheated on his wife; he had always pictured that, when he did marry, he would love that woman with all of his heart, they would grow old together and be surrounded by their grandchildren in a small cottage in the middle of the country side. He had never pictured in that fantasy that his wife wouldn't be someone he loved. For over three years, he had imagined Emma as his wife - he remembered the sinking feeling in his stomache when he had woken up in Vegas and realized that he had gotten married.

No, Neal thought grimly as he lay on the picnic blanket next to Emma, he was definitely not a good man.

"Hey," Emma said softly, her blonde hair spread across red and white. "What's that face for?"

Neal forced himself to smile. "Nothing." He said lightly. Emma didn't love convinced. She narrowed her eyes at him and he sighed, heavily. "I'm just thinking about Hannah."

"... Wow." Emma muttered sourly.

Neal closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. This is a mess, I know."

"You said you didn't love her."

"It's not that simple."

"Why not?" Emma challenged, sharply. "We love each other. You've already told me that Hannah doesn't make you happy so why stay with her?"

"Because I don't want to hurt her."

Emma softened. "What do you think will hurt her more?"

Neal went silent as Emma's words sank in. When he had first met Hannah, she had quickly became his best friend. He had never thought that he would hurt her, in fact he had tried to protect her as he had also tried to protect Emma when they had first met. He had tried all of his life to be good, to not become his father, that, while he may not be as bad as his father, he had become a man he despised. A man who would hurt a woman who loved him more than anything.

"I'm going to tell her." He promised, his words growing in confidence when he saw the smile on Emma's face. He may not be a good man, but he was determined to try and make things right.

...

"Are you okay?" Emma asked, as she and Neal walked down the street from Granny's. She had been silent as they had left the diner, knowing that Neal needed to calm down himself and that, no matter what she said, it wouldn't do anything to help. Neal cared about Mary Margaret, she was one of his closest friends, but Emma knew that Granny's words got to Neal not only because they were aimed at his friend but also because of what happened in the past. It didn't feel like that long ago that Emma was on the recieving end of the same treatment as Mary Margaret was clearing getting now that her relationship with David was out. She had long since buried her feelings on the past and the backlash to their affair, but she knew it still bothered Neal. He still felt guilt for what happened, for what they did to Hannah.

"I'm fine." Neal said quietly, though Emma knew that it wasn't the case.

Ignoring the urge to leave it at that, Emma pulled them to a stop and turned Neal to face her, her heart dropping slightly when she saw the glassy look in Neal's eyes. How many times had he been this hurt before and she hadn't done anything to help? How many times had she just let it go and left him to suffer in silence?

"Neal." She whispered, pulling him into her arms. He held on to her tightly, gripping onto her as if they were stranding in the middle of the ocean and she was the only thing keeping him from drowning. Neither of them noticed August watched with a grimace from across the street, and he continued to watch even after they had found the book hidden under the bug and had drove off.

...

Emma tried to keep the smile off her face as she walked over to Henry outside his school. Instead, she casually sat next to him and looked at the game he was playing.

"Wow, I love that game." She said, the smile about to break through. She knew he was going to love her surprise more than this game from Regina, and a small part of her couldn't help but feel triumphant even though she knew she shouldn't. "Space Paranoids, right?"

Henry nodded as he continued playing, showing no joy in the game. "Yeah, my mom got it from me."

"I used to play that all the time when I was a kid. Relax, it's all in the wrists." She advised, but within seconds he had lost.

Not at all concerned, Henry finally looked at her. "My mom's picking me up in, like, five minutes." He told her, looking miserable. Not for long, Emma thought happily.

"Alright, I'll be quick, then. I just have something I'd like to give you." She pulled the book out of her bag. She finally let her smile out when she saw his face light up in an instant.

"You found it!" He exclaimed, taking the book from her. "Where'd you get it?"

"I found it in a gutter. It must have falled off the dump truck on the way to the junkyard and got tossed around in the rain. And, somehow, made it's way back to us."

"Wow. That's crazy."

"What other explanation could there be?"

Henry thought for a moment before shrugging. "I don't know."

"Well, whatever happened, it came back."

"Maybe, it means our luck is changing." Henry beamed. "Operation Cobra is back on. It's a sign. Things are going to be better."

Emma hoped so. Things were getting a lot better with Neal, Teddy and Clara were getting more settled in Storybrooke, the only thing left was for things to get better with Henry. "I hope you're right, kid."

...

September 2004

Emma wasn't surprised when she saw Hannah at her door later that evening, she was, however, surprised at the state of her. Hannah's mascara, which was usually so perfect and precise that she was the envy of most of the other waitresses, had run down her face along with her tears. The usually bubbly young woman, who always had a smile on her face and seemed to light up at even the simpilest of things, looked run down and miserable. Emma had never seen someone look so heartbroken and hurt. She had always known that, when their secret finally came out, Hannah would be hurt and, while she had never taken any pleasure from that fact, she had been prepared for that. Atleast, she thought she had. But as she stared at this woman on the other side of her door, the guilt she was feeling was like a hole in the middle of her chest. She opened her mouth to say something, apologise, anything but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say to the woman who had shown her nothing but kindness and she had ripped her world apart.

Emma couldn't help but flinch when Hannah, clearly taking offense to her long moment of silence, slapped her across her face. Despite her size, Hannah had a lot of force behind her and Emma stumbled back slightly. "You evil bitch."

"Hannah - "

"No." Hannah snapped, walking through the doorway. "You don't get to speak. You don't get to even try to defend yourself over what you've done."

"I'm really sorry." Emma said anyway. "We never meant to hurt you."

"Well, that's what you did."

"I know, and if I can make it upto you - "

"You want to make it upto me? Do you, really?" Hannah interrupted.

Emma nodded. "Yes. Of course, I do."

"Then leave him." Emma went silent. "Leave me and my husband alone. Tell him that you've changed your mind, it wouldn't be the first time. I should've know that you were _that_ Emma. Neal's been acting weird ever since saw you, I just didn't think..."

"I'm sorry, Hannah. You have to believe that I am." Emma took a deep breath. "But I can't do that. I've lost him once, I'm not willing to do it again. Me and him, we have a history that we can't ignore."

Hannah let out a bitter laugh which made Emma flinch, it sounded wrong compared to the sweet, high laugh she had become accustomed to hearing. "A history? Are you kidding me?"

"It's true."

"I've know Neal since he was fourteen years old." Hannah shot back, a slight smirk on her face when she saw Emma's dumbfounded expression.

It took Emma a moment to register what Hannah had just said. "What?"

"We were kids in the same foster home." Hannah told her, silently crying. "He was my Bae back then. So don't give me some crap about history, because you will not compete with me. There was once a time when we were all each other had, and we will always need each other despite you. He _always_ comes back to me. You went to prison, he found me in Canada. You left him in Tallahassee, who do you think he called to pick him up and take him home? It's always been me. And it always will be."

"He doesn't love you." Emma said firmly. She knew that Hannah was trying to put doubt in her mind, to try and tear her apart from Neal, but she was sure about him, and she was sure that he loved her just as much as she loved him. She felt sorry for Hannah, she really did, but she wasn't going to let it happen. "He loves me and we're going to be together - "

Hannah let out a frustrated scream, before taking a deep breath and looking Emma dead in the eye. "Do you really think he's going to choose you after what you did?"

Emma sighed heavily. "And what, exactly, have I done?" she snapped.

"Gave away his child." Emma froze. Hannah smirked. "Do you know that in the state of Arizona, the biological father needs to be informed of an impending adoption. They're given a certain amount of time to decide whether or not they want to child before the decision is taken away from them and the child is put up for adoption, with or without their consent. I was living with Neal at the time... he never saw that letter, but _I_ did."

"And you kept it from him." Emma whispered, staring at Hannah as if seeing her in a new light. Hannah shrugged.

"I knew that he wouldn't have just took in his son, he would've gone back to you. He would've wanted you to be a family. I am his family, my children _will_ be his children. Yours is somebody else's now. If you don't leave us alone to get on with our lives, I'll tell Neal the truth."

"There's just one problem with that, you'll have to tell Neal that you've known all along that he has a child."

Hannah's smirk faded. "He's forgiven me for worse."

"He won't forgive you for that. And you know it, which is why you're here threatening me and not there telling him everything."

"I _will_ tell him." Hannah hissed.

"Go on then." Emma urged, folding her arms across her chest, trying not to show her panic. Hannah hesitated for a moment before her expression crumbled, more tears falling down her face before she stormed out of Emma's apartment, slamming the door behind her. Emma relaxed as she heard the sobs on the other side of the door, and she knew that Hannah wasn't going to tell Neal about the baby. Those weren't the cries of someone who was about to get what they want.

...

Neal stood outside his father's shop, staring into the dark windows. His father had long since packed up and left, that much was obvious, but Neal continued to stare at the silent building, his letter - while Neal was still unhappy about it, he couldn't think of what else to write and decided to just leave it as it was - in his hand. Teddy was absently humming to himself at his side, while Clara was fast asleep in her buggy. He needed to get them home, Neal knew that, but he couldn't bring himself to move.

"Neal?" he heard from behind him. He turned to see Archie, looking at him from concern. Neal wondered how he looked in order to be on the recieving end of that expression. "Are you alright?"

"Jim-jimminy." Teddy sang, now humming the tune of 'chim chim cher-ee' to himself.

"Yeah, um..." Neal nodded, holding up the letter for the therapist to see. Archie nodded in understanding. "It was good, to get everything down I mean. I just... I can't bring myself to post it."

"It's not the act of giving the letter to who it is aimed at, it's putting down all of your thoughts and emotions onto paper." Archie said softly. "It's to help sort things in your own mind. It's for you, Neal, not for him."

Neal nodded, taking a deep breath. "A part of me want him to have it, not now but... one day, maybe. But I know that, if I take it home, I'll destroy it. He won't ever see it. And I don't think I'll be able to write another."

"Then why don't I take it off your hands?" Archie offered. "Until you feel ready?"

Neal hesitated for a moment, his grip on the letter tightening for a moment before he handed it over.

"Have a good night, Mr Cassidy." Archie said, before he walked in the direction of his home. Neal watched after him for a moment, glancing back at the shop briefly before looked down at Teddy.

"Sorry, buddy." He said, ruffling the little boy's hair.

Teddy smiled up at him. "It's okay, daddy. It was something you needed to do."

...

When they got back to the apartment, Neal found Emma and Mary Margaret lying silently on Mary Margaret's bed. He met Emma's eye and she shook her head briefly, the silence only broken by their friend's soft sobbing. Without another word, Neal took the children upstairs, knowing that he would be there for Mary Margaret in the morning.

...

AN - Okay, I'm not extremely happy with this chapter because I wasn't sure how to portray the Hannah storyline or even the sessions with Archie. I can honestly say that this chapter had been an absolute nightmare. Which brings me to the over a month wait for this chapter, I am so sorry about that. I knew exactly what I wanted to show you guys, I just didn't know how to put it down in this chapter and struggled to see whether it was actually working. Please let me know if anything isn't, I always value your guys advice and comments on my chapters.

So, were any of you expecting Neal to be the married man that Emma mentioned earlier in the story? I know that not a lot of people are going to be happy about the storyline - as I can also say that there is more to come about that as well - but I always hated that in canon the only backstory we saw of Neal was that he had met and left Emma, moved to New York and had a job where he was required to wear a suit. We know very little about Neal's past after escaping Neverland or in the time between leaving Emma and her finding him again. It's always frustrated me, and his past especially is something that I want to explore later in the story.

 **Reviews...**

 **-** I know, and I'm really sorry about the wait. Things have been a little hectic in my personal life, and this chapter was not one of the easiest for me to write. I just wasn't feeling it :/ I will be posting the next chapter as soon as possible, since it's already written - just need to gloss over a few things and I'll get it up for you all (said with much guilt and self-annoyance ;)).

 **findmywaybacktoyou -** Thank you, I'm glad you like how I've portrayed Swanfire. I really wanted to keep the story, and their relationship, realistic and, with everything they've gone through and all of their unresolved issues, their relationship was never going to be perfect. I wanted to show them as a real couple; they may love each other but they fight, they come close to breaking up at some points, their relationship isn't bullet proof no matter whether it is true love or just a passing fling. Neal and Emma have a complicated past, and an even more complicated future ahead of them.

 **JinxedCobra -** I'm sorry I've left it so long, and I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

 **Guest -** ( **Chapter One** ) hope you've managed to reach the end and stick with us through all of the ups and the downs, and I hope that you love the story as much as you did at the beginning. Yes, Baelfire left in the portal just under three hundred years before Regina cast the curse, but he would've known all about her through August (more so in this story because he would've had more interaction with August than in canon because he stayed with Emma). August has been popping in and out of Neal's life because Neal refused to leave Emma, so he's been told all about the Evil Queen and what has become of the Enchanted Forest since Neal had been there as a child. Hope that clears it up for you.

 **Guest -** That's the plan, but I'm focusing on this season by season - so, because I've started series one, I will definitely be finishing up til the curse is broken. I definitely plan on doing series two. As for series three and beyond, I'm not making any promises - I really want to be able to complete the entire thing, maybe even catch upto the show, but I don't want to say I'm doing series three and then get upto that point and not be able to deliver. I also really want to do a spin off which shows more of Neal and Emma's life before Storybrooke, but I want to see how this all goes down first. I think the most that could happen by the end of series two, is that I announce that I am taking a couple of months break, rather than drop the entire thing. I love this story, it's become my baby, and I want to continue with it past series three. We'll just have to see.

 **Guest -** Thank you :D I hadn't intended to make Neal dreamy but that's good, I guess.

 **Dancing4every1 -** Thanks :D I love writing scenes about the Cassidy family, and I can't wait to write even more. I love Teddy to bits, he's so adorable!

 **Bookwyrm52 -** Thank you, and you will just have to wait to find out... ;)

 **Many Voices In My Head -** I agree with Emma 100% about Valentines Day too, and I had actually planned that to be Emma's romantic guesture as well but I stopped myself because it would have been too obvious for Gold. I knew that Neal and Emma needed some hope and happiness in their lives at the moment, so I threw in a proposal (which I had also planned, but just for later on). I really wanted Neal to see only hints of his father because, as I've said before, it will be a long road to forgiveness for the two of them. So far, Neal has struggled to see anything but the dark one in Gold; giving little hints to the fact that his father could love something/someone other than his power will open Neal's eyes a little more. And there will be only one savior, and I can say that that will be Emma - the main question is, who will she be saving? I'll give a clue; Neal, Henry, Teddy AND Clara will all be in the same room as the apple turnover at the end of the series... ;) And I'm going to keep trying to clear that bar, fingers crossed I manage it.

 **-** You're welcome, thank you for the review :)

 **Rainbow2.0 -** Thanks :D It was one of my favourite episodes of series one and I wanted to do something good for the story, I just hope that it came across okay.

 **hateme101 -** I didn't want Neal to find out about Belle straight away, I wanted to just give him a few little hints so show that his father was capable of caring about someone/something other than his dagger or his power. I want to explore Belle and Neal more in series two - at the moment, there is just too much for Neal to work through and, despite his curiosity, his father's past isn't as important to Neal as his family's future and how his father could impact it, and possibly (in his eyes) make it worse. Series two will be a lot better for Neal to explore more of his father's past, including Belle, and could ultimately make him see him in a whole different light. Sorry you didn't see it last chapter, but I promise that it will come up.

 **Aaron Leach -** Thank you :D

 **Meresger -** ( **Chapter Four** ) - I know, that is a habit for me since I am British and all I can do is apologise for that. As for the nicknames, this has already been addressed earlier but I must stress that my Neal is not the same one as in canon. He has been a father for half a decade before meeting Henry, rather than having only experienced children on Neverland like he had in canon and, to me, calling Henry 'buddy' always seemed a little awkward because he was getting to know him. In this story, he would already have that fatherly experience and would call his children a variety of things including (and please nobody hit me for saying this) 'mate'. I understand that most people contribute it to Hook which is why I try to avoid using it as much as I can, but I will slip up and have Neal saying things he wouldn't say in canon because he is a completely different (while also being the same) man to who he was when Emma and Gold found him in New York.


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